


How a family trains their dragons

by Kelseyalicia



Series: Proper Timeline Saga [1]
Category: How to Train Your Dragon (Movies)
Genre: Acceptance, Alternate Universe, Brother-Sister Relationships, Bullying, Family, Fate & Destiny, Friendship/Love, Marriage, Mental Health Issues, Multi, Mystery, New Beginnings, Promises, Protective Parents, Secret Hideaway, Secrets, Special Powers, Teen Romance, True Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-03
Updated: 2019-06-03
Packaged: 2020-04-07 08:01:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 44,170
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19080850
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kelseyalicia/pseuds/Kelseyalicia
Summary: How'd Hiccup's life been if he had his whole family from the start? How'd he and Toothless stop the Dragon Viking War? Everything might not be different, but the things that are could be interesting.





	1. Welcome to Berk

**Author's Note:**

> So this is the start of my second HTTYD saga I call the Proper Timeline Saga. Where Hiccup has both his parents in his life as well as his brother and sister and has a much happier life as does everyone in his life. Both human and dragon alike. Things will be the same in some ways and different in other ways. But just stay tuned for this saga and it's adventures!

Welcome To Berk

The night was dark, misty and cold with the dark blue sea raging against a lone island in the middle of nowhere. The land held a sort of rugged yet untamed beauty and it seemed there were some inhabits of this island stuck in the middle of nowhere in this raging sea in cold icy winds.

There was what looked like a study village of wooden homes dotting one section of the island with various other structures, torchlight and farm animals to show the presence of some group of humans living on this island.

Right now the island was quiet, calm and uneventful. It seemed that people were just sleeping soundly and all was well for all who lived here on this island in the middle of nowhere.

Then slowly descending from the sky came a flock of winged creatures swift and almost silently and they picked off a few sheep and then what was once calm, serene and quiet erupted into full-blown chaos, screaming and an in the opinion of a few a lot of stupidity.

The village was alive as the night skies began burned bright with fire as those of this village came blazing out their home faster than their homes were set fire. The horned helmets they wore and weapons quickly revealed what kind of people of this island were. They were Vikings and what they're fighting were quickly identified too.

Though they come in many shapes, sizes and colors there no mistaking a flying fire breathing creature no matter what corner of the world or time period you live in. Yes, they were squaring off with a variety of dragons, and it was quickly obvious this wasn't the first time this had happened either. Given how both man and dragon battled it out.

With the village in chaos from the Viking and dragons, it wasn't surprised that things were getting set on fire and the fact everything in the village was made of flammable martial things burned quite easily when you lived in wooden houses.

One large dragon in the chaos aimed at the largest house that stood alone on top of a hill overlooking the village. Whoever lived in this house must be important given the size, location, and grandness of the house.

When the fire blast came hurling at the door it was quickly shut with a teenage boy throwing his weight against to make sure it held. Not that he had a lot of weight, to begin with given how small and scrawny he was. He couldn't have weighed more than 90lbs himself.

He sank to the floor once the fire had dissipated and the door hadn't been born through. His bright green eyes looked up and across the room at the two people who matter most to him. A ten-year-old boy and a five-year-old girl.

Given the three of them obviously lived together and the fact the boys looked alike and they're all of the same body types it was obvious they're siblings. The eldest looked about 15 so that meant each had been born five years after the other.

From first glance, you could tell a few things about three siblings right off the back. Again all of them were slim built a tad scrawny unlike the beefy raging idiots on the other side of the door.

Despite their lack of size, they're obviously very intelligent you could see the wheels in their heads turning when you looked into their eyes and they're all quite good looking.

The brothers looked nearly identical, both having auburn hair, bright green eyes and almost the exact same outfit. Only the older brother wore a green outfit with a fur vest and his hair was short. The younger brother's hair was in a short ponytail and his tunic was teal with tan pants and no vest.

Their sister had entirely different coloring though she still had the same good looks like her brothers. She had beautiful light blue eyes with golden blond hair that just touched her shoulders with the last three inches of hair colored lilac and she wore a tunic dress that was the same green and teal of her brothers' clothes.

The lilac in her hair was the result of them exploring last summer a strange cave and finding some lilac flowers that apparently been exposed to the energy of the gods according to their village elder. Because ever since the day they dyed their little sister's hair it never washed out or faded but remained unchanged. And the village elder Gothi had said it would remain that way for the rest of their sister's life.

After a few minutes, the eldest picked himself up and spoke with a goofy grin on his face. "Well, looks like the forecast tonight is a firestorm with a shower of lunatics Vikings."

"Ugh, like hasn't that been the forecast for the last two years since the dragon raids increased?" the little brother looked a bit agitated flicking his ponytail.

"Yeah, BBBFF! It's like it been raining idiot Viking and fireballs so often since I turned three. Is it any wonder Daddy never can relax or for that matter we've had to start living double lives?"

Again the eldest sighed and rolled his eyes before answering. "I know, Una that life not been a picnic for any of us. Especially you and Boden for the past two years your talents really started to grow. As for myself?"

"Hiccup we know you're blessed too! Even Mom says you're blessed too! We just aren't completely sure how your gifts work, we know you can do things we just haven't completely figured out your gifts as much as Una and mine is all!" Boden interrupted.

"It's not like we don't have enough of our plates with hiding the fact we're blessed either, Hiccup! Mommy and Daddy have had to hide from the whole village you know what Daddy calls our "eccentrics" you know."

"That's what really makes living double lives so hard on us I know, sis. On one hand, Dad willing to accept we all have some minor issues as Mom calls it with social problems. Myself? I've some attention problems unless it's one subject I really like. Or that fact I get anxious easy or having depression."

"Or my mood swings that cause problems," piped up Boden.

"Or my social problems that come from my own head problems," Una added in her own bitterness.

Yeah, it's so ironic at times. Half the time they try to make sure we aren't noticed for the wrong reasons since they want to protect us and the other half it's like we have to be like everyone else. Why can't life be easier?"

"If life made sense then it wouldn't be life, Hiccup." Boden pointed out.

"Good point but we all reached the agreement long ago when we first realized that Dad may love us but we can't really tell him the whole truth about who we really are or what we can really do."

"It's truly sad that even Mommy has to keep secrets from Daddy about what we really can do or what we actually do half the time. I hated that we have to do things behind Daddy's back! But no way would he accept us if he knew what we truly were!" Una concludes with tears in her blue eyes that Hiccup dried with his fur vest.

"There, there Sis. One day all things change. Perhaps one day what we've been trying to do will happen and there will be a day we can be honest with day and there be a day when there no more lies and no-one has to die."

"I've been wishing and hoping to have a dream about that for a long time, Hiccup. But I've seen many horrors of the past 300 years and a couple of visions of the future but not one of them shows the future we seek."

"Plus Hiccup it's getting harder to sleep at night with Una and I haunted by the ghosts all around us! I hear the dying cries of agony every night fill my dreams from those we slay and well you know what Una hears and we both have to agree Una shouldn't have to hear ghost at all."

"My dreams don't need any more dying cries and voices telling me what we've long since known!"

"I know, and I promise we will find a way to end this war and change Berk for the better. For our people and also for our best friends people as well. Now come on! If we don't get to the blacksmith shop in like ten minutes Dad's gonna throw a fit and I rather not be tossed around like a rag doll again for not getting you two there fast enough!"

"Well, let's get going! But we're still doing the plan right?" Una asked her brother.

"Even though it's crazy, dangerous and we could get yelled and embarrassed we are still gonna do another rescue mission right, Hiccup?"

A grin lit up Hiccup face and replied happily "Of course! We wouldn't be who we are if we didn't do a Dragon Rescue Mission! Now hold on to my hands tight and let's bolt!" as they joined hands and raced through the chaotic battle of stubborn idiotic fools to get where they needed to be.

No-one really noticed how the dragons never aimed for the three of them or how they seemed to really very subtle things to make the dragons avoid them and keep them out of danger. Or how they seemed to able to predict if a person who might hurt them was coming at them.

But there was one person they never could predict even with what they hinted at the house. A large strong arm and hand gripped the back of Hiccup's tunic and yanked him off his feet.

It was Stoick the Vast the Chief of the Village of Berk and well he was the picture perfect image of a Viking and best one of them on the island. Rumor had it when he was a baby he popped a dragon clean off his shoulder and no-one doubt it was true.

"What are you doing out? Why aren't you and the others in the blacksmith yet? Get inside!" he orders in a heated and angry tone and shoved him forward as he got his grip on his brother and sister's hands again and hurried forward.

They all looked over their shoulders in time to see the most beautiful woman on Berk Valka who was also the Chief's wife coming darting forward. Valka was different in many ways from every other woman on Berk.

She was slim-build, used her brains, was compassionate, outspoken to the point she wasn't afraid to tell you exactly what she thought, fearless, and she possessed a beauty no-one could match. Also, she wore a hairstyle no-one else had either so she was a one-of-kind woman.

She was also the only woman who'd have the guts to tell Stoick the Vast when he was out of line and not be afraid of him as she was telling him right now. That he shouldn't have grabbed Hiccup like that and no-one can run the length of the island in this chaotic mess as fast as lightning. Also that he never failed to get everyone to the Gobber's without so much as a scratch so quit throwing him around like a ragdoll for not being as fast as a bolt of lightning!

Finally, the three siblings had made it to the blacksmith shop where a one-legged meathead with an attitude was awaiting them.

He seemed to be ready to make what had to be a running joke but being in no mood to hear it for the millionth time Boden turned and snapped at him. "Gobber don't even start with your stupid jokes of us being carried off or us as dragon toothpicks!

They ain't funny and frankly, they never were funny when your start making them when Mom and Dad told you to babysit us when the raids started to increase two years okay. So do us a favor and kindly shut up!" snapped the ten-year-old.

Hiccup who'd been in the far corner getting Una settled away from all the sharp pointy dangerous weapons and making sure she'd her dragon doll to keep her occupied saw that Gobber was looking at his little brother not so nice.

Quickly he grabbed two leather aprons and got between his brother and Gobber. "Come on, Gobber, you have to agree a joke does get stale after a while and no-one wants to hear it," Hiccup was trying to stall a fight looking at Gobber's prosthetic hand which had so many interchangeable things.

Luckily they're saved because warriors came screaming for more weapons drawing Gobber's attention away from his little brother who Hiccup yanked away from spot before helping him into his apron and they started working on their jobs of working the forge.

Una wasn't allowed to work on the forge being only five and a girl but didn't mean she hadn't learned anything from watching her brothers and they hadn't been telling what they're doing step by step.

Hiccup been doing forge work since before Boden's birth so for about ten years and Boden been doing it for the last five years and they'd explained and shown Una everything.

What one sibling learned and knew they taught the other. It was just how they were. One for all and all for one. Though tonight as the melee was going on with the dragons outside they whispered about how stupid it all was. They had to whisper because no-one on Berk could be heard having an opinion against killing dragons without being beheaded for it.

"It's all so dumb and you know it, BBBFF. Thinking it makes you a man or someone important for killing a creature with a heart, soul and a brain! No-one should kill a Nadder to be notified or a Gronckle to get a date!" Una hissed as she played with the skirt of her dress nervously.

"You shouldn't need two heads of a Zippleback either for status or a Monstrous Nightmare. It's all so stupid all of it what we consider honor, manhood and all it! It's completely idiotic!" Boden spat the words out as if was cursing.

"Yeah, the world is messed up and highly unenlightened, little brother and sis. It's such a shame that more people just haven't seen the light…" he paused what he was saying because they head a group of young voices. One voice stood out from the group a beautiful young female voice.

Hiccup dropped everything he was doing and rushed to the front of the blacksmith shop as his brother and sister rolled their eyes once and whispered "Astrid" and hurried to the window too. Una was too short to see over it so she had to get a box to stand on to watch.

Berk did have a couple of other kids around their brother Hiccup age. They're all 'proper' Viking teenagers. Those who fit in by looking, acting, talking and thinking like the rest of the village.

Though for the three of them they didn't have to put politely the warmest of feelings for a few of them. The group of five teens was doing their job as the fire brigade and they simply watched a short bit.

They saw timid and husky Fishlegs, the pranksters' dimwitted fraternal twins Ruffnut and Tuffnut, the arrogant jerk Snotlout all rushing about putting out fires. But that wasn't who Hiccup's eyes were following, his green eyes were locked on the beautiful blond warrior girl who was highlighted by a fireball at the moment.

Astrid Hofferson was the most attractive, toughest and greatest teenager warrior on Berk. Tough as nails and most deadly with a battle-ax. She was also extremely hard to impress and also focused on becoming a warrior. She never seemed to focus on anything but training and fighting and didn't give boys or love a second thought.

Though for Hiccup he never saw a warrior when he saw Astrid, he saw past what she showed in front of everyone else and he just knew deep inside there was another side to Astrid.

Just then Hiccup got his head to smack from behind from Gobber "Oww! What was that for?!" he demanded as the other teens disappeared into the night to take care of other fires.

"You three better get back to your jobs and not try anything stupid," Gobber started to say and really eyed Hiccup a long time who didn't say anything before he couldn't take being looked at and shouted back. "What?! If you have something to say to me, Gobber then says it!"

"Well, I watch your tongues. You three have pretty sharp tongues and I reign those in and also not try to go impress anyone either. Because whenever you three attempt to go impress anyone the village crumbles to dust.

Also, Hiccup not to break your tender heart or ruin your teenage fantasy but the chance of you and Astrid getting together? That's as likely as Odin being stupid or someone actually seeing one of the three Dragons of Legend!

Which neither gonna happen. No-one ever gonna see, catch or kill a Night Fury, Silver Phantom or an Aurora Borealis Singer! So unless you can do the impossible you might as well as forget trying to get a girl like Astrid to even give you a sideways glance."

At the mention of the three Dragons of Legend, the children got quiet and glanced at each other strangely. Gobber merely misinterprets as them thinking of the Legend of the three dragons. Three Dragons so rare there was only one of each. It seemed they acted as a perfect team and how they're never seen, attacked and never messed up made the legend about the three of them all the more mysterious.

Hiccup replied curtly to Gobber, "If it can be dreamed it can be done for what was thought to be impossible is how anything ever accomplished.

I also know there more to people then just what people see. I know what in their heats is who they truly are, Gobber. I know there more to Astrid then just a pretty Viking girl wields a battleax better than anyone else," he whispered and his eyes flashed faintly with a mysterious glow.

Gobber missed the glow as he was thinking Hiccup was just talking nonsense of a 15-year-old boy's romantic fantasy. He didn't notice the same glow flicked a second in Boden and Una's eyes.

He didn't know that all of them were seeing in their mind's eye the same memory Hiccup was recalling as perfectly as if he was back there the day he made it.

He didn't see how it was highlight in golden light to make it brighter or clearer as Hiccup recalled how Astrid defend him from the Twins and Snotlout when he was five and comfort him just before Boden's birth when he was worried about his mommy or if he'd be able to be a good big brother.

Or when she told him she like that he had such a good heart to never lose that part of himself no matter what for that would be a thing that made the most difference in his life. And how she smiled so beautiful at him.

All this happened within a moment in their minds but Gobber had seen and felt nothing he only thought the siblings yet again were acting strangely and just told them to stay put as he had to go join the fighting and not to doing something dumb.

The second he was gone though Una let a big sigh muttering, "Thank the gods! I thought that lout would never leave! Now is time for some fun or not?" she looked up with a mischief grin on her lips and sparkle to her eyes.

"Oh yes, it's time for another rescue mission to get underway sis. The real question is everyone else ready and in place?" Hiccup asked in a coy tone.

"Well, I answer that for you bro, all our dragons are ready and raring to go. They all just told me they're ready to go and just want us to run through the plan once more to make sure we've had it down before we go through with it," Boden responded cryptically.

"Okay. Step one of the plan goes like this," Hiccup began as he went around the corner of the shop and pulled out his latest contraption the Mangler. "Toothless and I will distract everyone by me pretending to shot Toothless down by him blasting out a defense. Of course, I'll be shooting blanks so he won't be hurt.

Then when he makes a pretend cry of pain he'll disappear and then the Nightmare we asked will chase me to distract the chief so he'll have to come to my rescue. Of course the Nightmare is not really gonna hurt me but after all this time I'm pretty good at faking being scared to death and pretending to be in danger.

"Once the Chief's left the dragons who've got the sheep I'll have Nightrainbow sing his lullaby and that will put the Viking guarding those dragons to sleep for ten minutes," Una continue then turning to Boden chimed in.

Once they're in dreamland I'll have Stardust use her lighting to burn the nets away freeing the dragons and then Una and I will direct them to the forest where Cloudjumper will be waiting."

"And then Cloudjumper will escort the dragons to the nearest concealed entrance to the Underground Dragon Sanctuary where Skullette and Firefang are standing by to tend to them till we can get down there to start establishing trust and the rest of the hard work," finished Hiccup.

"Yep!" the other two replied in unison.

"Hopefully we can pull this off this time without causing the village to go up in flames or have to be embarrassed," he said in an undertone and Boden and Una glanced up at him and took his hands in theirs and said together.

"If you get in trouble we all do. So if you're gonna be yelled, humiliate and embarrassed will all take it together. Remember we are all in this together! We swore that!"

Smiling they hugged each other tightly before they set their Dragon Rescue Plan in motion. It wasn't clear from their talk who Toothless, Stardust, Nightrainbow, and Cloudjumper were.

Even as they executed their plan it was less clear as this was done swiftly in the middle of a dark yet chaotic night with so many different dragons, Viking, fire and screaming going on.

All that was clear was whoever those names belong too they also belong to beings with unidentifiable shapes, colors, abilities, and sounds. But it seemed to go as the siblings planned up to a point.

The Nightmare that had chased Hiccup to distract Chief Stoick? Its fire had burned through the torch he'd been hiding behind and it was rolling. So since Boden and Una wouldn't let their brother take punishment alone. So they ran and tripped causing more destruction which also made the chief look at them.

The three siblings took a deep breath first meeting the eye of the chief staring into his angry green eyes and then looked down at their feet miserably before whispering, "We're sorry, Dad/Daddy"


	2. Life for the Haddocks

Life for the Haddocks

Life can have many humiliating things in it and depending on who you are will depend on what will be what you consider the most humiliating thing in your life.

Though clearly for Hiccup, Boden and Una Haddock being the children of the Chief of Berk and having to be made an example of in front of your whole tribe were the most humiliating as it got.

It was always the worst part of their double lives of when a Dragon Rescue Mission ended like this. If somehow they ended up doing some type of harm that made them seem like the three village disappointments and that made their father have to play the role of "Chief' instead of just being their 'Dad'.

Therefore with the whole village glaring at the three of them hatefully for screwing things up yet again. Along with the collective feeling of shame that all three of Stoick the Vast's children looked well the way they did. It only added to what was utter humiliation.

Stoick was angry at the destruction that his children had caused as he was voicing it quite clearly at the moment. "I don't understand why you three yet again didn't do what you've been told a thousand times to do. You three are under strict orders to stay out of danger for a good reason!" he berated them as they hung their heads so low so no-one sees the tears they're trying to hide.

Shaking his head disappointedly as his whole enormous body trembled with fear and anger in kind he carried on with, "One is for your protection but it seems the village needs protection as well! Now we not only lost some of the livestock but now this is gonna put us in some danger for the coming winter if this keeps up!

Why can't you three just do what you're told? I mean…"

"Stoick! Please?" cut in a beautiful kind voice as their mother emerged through the crowd as she gently put her small hand on his wrist at once he stops trembling.

She gazed her light blue eyes into his green ones then whispered softly, "Please, please don't do this. Please don't be the "Chief" with your own children. Don't make an example of them by humiliating them in front of the village. We can deal with this at home later tonight in private. Please not here not with everyone watching," she pleaded softly.

Sighing he nodded for truthfully in his heart he never liked it when he was forced to be a chief instead of a father. He and Valka long ago vowed when they wed and started their family that they never let the fact Stoick was the Chief get in the way of their family.

That their family and their duties to the village would always be kept separate from one another no matter what. Under the guise of kissing her forehead replied back to her in a calmer tone "Okay, Valka, we'll finish this at home later tonight. I still have the mess they accidently caused to clean up though."

"I know you do. Also, I suspect you'll no doubt have to have another meeting that going to take up most of your afternoon as well? Once you've spent the morning cleaning up the aftermath of this battle and the slight mess?" she murmured thankfully back and he nodded once again.

"You know the dance pretty well, don't you, Val?" which was said half-heartily and she gave him a tired smile before replying back kindly.

"I know it as well as our own dance and song, Stoick," as she played with his massive red beard, " I'll get the children home and look after them for a couple of hours and then come join you at the Great Hall," as they both glanced over at the children for a second.

She took her husband face into her hands caressing his face tenderly as she whispered even more gently into his ears, "Please try and calm down, my love. Also, try and remember patience is needed when dealing with children and don't let your temper get the better of you." Looking him straight in the eye she told him straightforwardly something else he really needed to remember.

"Let your anger out where it needs to go and please stop taking it out on the children. I know they accidently caused problems but they aren't the source of your true anger so don't take it out on them, alright, Stoick?"

Smiling warmly at his beloved beautiful wife who knew him better than he knew himself he kissed her hand and whispered into her right ear, "You are as wise as your beautiful, Val."

Blushing faintly pink and tossing her long auburn braids over her back she replied back, "And you're as strong as you're brave, my love, still try and calm down some, alright? Before you talk to the children tonight? Get your head together and we'll talk this out calmly and nicely?"

Fidgeting with his bright beard he gave one last nod in confirmation "Yes, I promise to get my anger out of my system by dinner and we'll have a calm discussion."

"Alright."

Whilst their parents were conversing to each in low tones followed by their father addressing the rest of their tribe on the intended course of the kids had gotten out of everyone else sight.

They'd drifted off to the side to hopefully avoid any more attention being focused on them. Though they'd moved that didn't mean they were free of being made the joke of the day.

The same teens who had been putting out the fires earlier? They're sitting on nearby wine barrels laughing at the three with a lot of smirks and sneers. And it took all the self-control Hiccup had to not turn around and look at them.

"You three are such a disappointment to Berk. Who'd ever believe you three are the heirs to the tribe when your such scrawny screw-ups losers?" jeered the one called Snotlout who had dark hair matching his dark clothing, his helmet had ram horns that made sense; as he butts heads with everyone since he was such an arrogant jerk.

"Never knew one person could mess up so badly but seeing three? That was such a fun show to watch! It's even more entertaining than watching everything go up in flames," taunted Tuffnut the boy twin and his sister Ruffnut snickered before adding cruelly.

"It's hard to imagine your last name is Haddock at all. Like why did the gods give someone named Stoick the Vast such untalented, weak, pathetic, runts for kids? That's the biggest joke in all the Nine Realms! If I were your dad I'd go ask Odin himself why did he curse him with you three being his offspring?"

Hiccup's small fists were clenched in anger from the taunts. He'd heard them all before and lived with them as far back as he could remember. Being told he was too weak, too small, or not worthy at all. All this shit before and there were so many times he wants to just shut them up.

Though right now he was trying to be the bigger person and not engage in violence or show that their bullying was bothering him. He was trying to set an example for his brother and sister but that attempt failed.

Boden and Una also had taken much bullying as well in their short lives. On the other hand, they also had a grudge against the Twins and Snotlout, for something personal they'd done to them by these three. For they'd done something to each of them that had caused them to develop their greatest fears. Fears that would never leave them or ever get over.

Furthermore, Hiccup knew in his heart that neither the Twins nor Snotlout remembers the cruel pranks they'd done to his brother or sister that had resulted in them in developing phobias that last a lifetime.

Although he'd under no circumstances ever fail to recall what they'd done and his fury at both incidents still burns hotter than a dragon's fire inside him. Boden had developed claustrophobia as a result when they'd locked him in a tool shed for an hour when he was five.

They'd been outside playing so their mom who'd been expecting Una at the time could get a nap in. The three of them had beaten him up till he was knocked out and then proceeded to lock Boden in the shed. So by the time he'd woke up and freed him he'd been in there for an hour! Ever since then Boden didn't like being in any space he didn't have a way out of.

The other cruel prank they'd done was when Una was two and he'd taken his brother and sister out to a meadow for a picnic so his parents could have an afternoon to themselves. They'd been playing hide and seek.

They'd been unaware of the three of them had followed them on their picnic. So when they're playing their game of hiding and seek the brothers didn't realize that Snotlout and Twins had purposely gotten Una lost for 20 minutes because they thought it was 'funny'.

As a result by the time, they'd finally located their two-year-old sister she was in a panic crying hysterically and now she suffered from monophobia or fearing to be alone.

The true lasting result from this 'joke' of being separated from her brothers was Una never liked being apart from her "BBBFF or Big Brothers Best Friends Forever". Furthermore, she absolutely went into a full-blown panic if she was left alone for more than ten minutes.

There only two good things gained from his brother and sister getting their phobias. One was Boden had become a master escape artist and lock picker and Una learned to hide better than anyone else.

The other good thing was their father had severely punished the three offenders for messing with his children. Although given the fact of how they're deliberately provoking a fight right now and a special secret about Hiccup himself. It was clear as day that not one of them remember their crimes from before or how painful those punishments had been.

Consequently, all their blood was boiling to the point it was about to be spilled to the point Hiccup was straining desperately to prevent his brother and sister from being killed by Snotlout and the Twins who looked more than capable of doing them more harm.

Help came from an unexpected source just as it looked like a brawl was about to erupt and there be even more beating up on the three Haddocks. A battleax was thrown between them in a quick flash someone had cartwheeled between them as well.

This, someone, smashed the Twins' heads together easily before grabbing the ax from behind them and twirling it expertly and then bringing it an inch from Snotlout's face. Then a beautiful voice spoke in a calm but still furious tone with their bright blue eyes blazing.

"Snotlout why don't you for once do the village a favor and silence that tongue of yours? Because you and those idiots over there cause enough damage as it is. They do damage just standing in an empty room and your mouth causes more problems than the both of them!" the flaxen ponytail was whipping wildly about as Astrid continued to press her battle-ax closer to Snotlout's jugular vein and his eyes were wide in fear it was likely he was wetting his pants.

She continued to advance as the reprimand assault continued from the warrior beauty, "Accident happen and a true warrior with honor doesn't mock others even if they make mistakes nor do they show disrespect to their comrades. Besides one way or another, the dragons are gonna leave damage in their wake and the village is gonna blame whoever happens to be standing where the last beam falls.

She was right next to him now and gripped his shirt and pulled him close enough to hiss so furiously at him you think she was now one of Odin's chosen winged maidens she was undoubtedly furious about Snotlout and the Twins' behavior. "So why don't you guys get a new hobby that doesn't involve picking on those you think are weak? Since only those are weak beat up on others. Only the weak are cruel. The strong have no need to be!

So you really want to be a real warrior? One of true honor and someone to be respected? Start really acting like it!" she snapped wrathfully and then hit him with the flat side of her ax knocking him out before glaring at Fishlegs who hadn't said or done anything but he got the message just the same.

Hiccup, Boden, and Una didn't say anything as they watched Astrid muttered how now her ax was covered in Snotlout's sweat and she needed to clean it thoroughly. It was almost like she didn't notice them as she took out a piece of cloth and was trying to clean the ax.

Boden and Una looked at their brother and gesture at him. So he walked over to Astrid and opened his mouth to speak and got as far as saying "Hey Astrid…" who barely looked up when another voice caught their attention.

"Hiccup, Boden, Una?" it was their mother coming over to get them and she hadn't seen how Astrid had just defended her children from bullies.

"Hello, Astrid," as she approached the small group. "How is training going?"

"I need to work on my somersaults more. They're still a bit sloppy. Need to be ready for Dragon Training Classes. They start tomorrow and after what happened to my uncle when I was a kid? I'm gonna be the best warrior in that class!"

Valka seemed a bit uneasy for a moment but simply smiled and said, "To each his own, though I'm sure your uncle be pleased with your dedication and the strong young woman you've become, Astrid. Nevertheless, Astrid, there are plenty of ways to be a warrior or strong that don't involve killing or weapons. Merely what already inside one heart and soul."

"I'll take that into some consideration, but a good battleax never hurt either, Valka. Have a nice day. Hope you have a nice day too, Hiccup. Hope you along with your brother and sister have lots of fun even if you have to be lectured tonight. Though you seem tough enough to deal with it.

I've got to go train now. Well, I guess I'll see you all around the village later! Bye!" and with that, she was gone.

Hiccup was blushing and mumbled, "Thank you for your help."

Valka looked at her eldest son as he followed Astrid's retreating back before saying. "Hiccup doesn't feel so bad. Love is never straightforward and it's the biggest game of risk and chance. More importantly, you don't find love it finds you and you've just got to trust in it and let it take its own course."

Hiccup let out a long breath before looking at his mother with a bit of sadness to his eyes and sighed. "Mom I know you're trying to help and I know your right but it still hurts nonetheless.

I'm the one whose gifts are derived from the powers of love itself! And yet I can't even get the girl I love to talk to me long enough to have an actual conversation!" he vents in frustration as he looked at his mom once more as she gave him a small smile as the four they walked.

Looking and listening to the four them it was becoming quickly apparent that the children really took a lot after their mother. True enough all the children really looked more like their mother then their father. The only thing physically that either Hiccup or Boden had gotten from their father was his eyes and nose.

Una looked exactly like her mother other than she was blond. No-one had been expecting when Una was born the blond hair. on the other hand given the number of blonds on Berk, it wouldn't be hard to imagine somewhere on the Haddock family tree there had to be a distant blond relative that gave Una her blond hair.

It was also clearly their personalities were more like their mother's over their father's given also how the kids were talking as they slowly walked up to the steep winding path.

"Mom it's just not fair that this happens so often! It's like Dad never listens to us! And he just gets so angry lately. He's getting even moodier then I get! And I'm the one whose moods are supposed to be like a flip of the coin!" Boden pouted a bit as he kicked a rock in front of them in frustration.

"It's getting impossible to live like this, Mommy! How we have to pretend to be one way in the public eye and with Daddy and then do what we do in secret! I mean you know our gifts are getting stronger every day!"

"I know your blessings are getting stronger as I also know you don't have control over them or full knowledge of what you can do or what you might be able to do one day.

I've known that since the first start emerging shortly after each of your births and the day you all spoke your first words. When you became bonded with your best friends it was like that somehow unlocked whatever blessing was a part of you," their mother mused.

"Though Mom, we don't know if we're naturally born with these gifts or they're given to us by the gods for some reason. All I know is Stoick the Vast wouldn't be happy if he knew what his children could do. He is just like this.

"Excuse me, barmaid, I'm afraid you brought me the wrong offspring. I ordered extra-large children. Who are beefy strong with extra guts and glory on the side? Not talking fish bones with freaky powers that make them traitors who I have to burn to a crisp!"

Boden and Una laughed at their brother's sarcastic but accurate portrayal of how they all figured their father react if he ever found out about what they could do. Valka laughed too but also frowned.

They'd reached their house but turning to glance behind them no-one was around or watching them. So they quickly took another path into the forest and she spoke again to her children.

"Hiccup I have always enjoyed your rather unusual sense of humor and how you taught it to Boden and Una. Though I think you three really are underestimating your father.

"Mommy trust us. One thing we aren't mistaken is how Daddy would act if he knew what we do. Even you said it yourself he wouldn't take it well."

"Even I can be mistaken. I'm human and I can be wrong. No-one is perfect and neither are the gods, Una. I've to know your father for a long time and I've been married to him for 16 years now. You think I don't know him well?"

"Mom we know Dad loves us but you can't deny the fact he well does seem a little disappointed in us. I can feel it even if I'm more in tune with dragon emotions," Boden expressed sadly and his mother got down to his eye level and looked him in the eye and spoke softly to him.

"Boden I know you have trouble with your own emotions and yet your gift is to feel those of others but don't ever think ill of your own father and don't ever doubt your father couldn't accept you," as she stood up she looked at her other two children. "That goes for all of you. You may have the powers of love or being a bridge between worlds but I've no doubt in my heart that your father would accept you.

It would just really be about the right time and opportunity to explain the truth to him. That all it would really be about. It is true he wouldn't take it well at first that I know for sure but he's your father and he'll love you all you no matter what."

The three of them looked doubtful about whatever this discussion had been about and they didn't talk about it further because they'd come to a small knoll in clearing deep in the woods.

There were a bunch of strange rocks in front of it. The group didn't step out immediately into the clearing. They all closed their eyes and seemed to be in deep concentration as if really focusing and trying to see and hear without using their normal senses.

Whatever they'd done passed in a few moments before it was safe to approach the knoll. Hiccup walked up to it and began pressing different colored stones in a particular pattern. As soon as he was done with the pattern the largest rock in the center rolled away and revealed a concealed doorway. Again making sure no-one was around they quickly went inside and the rock rolled back in place once they're inside leaving no trace of anything amiss.

They're on a staircase already lit by a series of torches as the family slowly descended the twisting staircase till they came down to what would be considered the ground floor.

They'd reached what appeared to be a large network of caverns all brightly lit by both fires and glowing crystals. There was plenty of fresh clean air as well as an underground stream of pure water.

And resting in the caverns in some comfy bedding were a couple of hundred dragons! Nadders, Nightmares, Gronckles and Zipplebacks are sleeping contently at the moment in their caverns.

A few other caverns seemed to be used to keep food, supplies, and books. All was quiet and then as soon as the Haddocks arrived bounding out of three special caverns came three special dragons who knocked the kids to the ground.

These three dragons were unlike any other dragons in this underground location that obviously stretched for miles under the island.

The dragon that was licking Hiccup was a male jet black dragon who seemed to be able to retract his teeth. The beautiful almost angelic silver female was cuddling Boden and the young male who had all the colors of the rainbow singing beautifully to Una.

"Toothless it's good to see you too. Now get off me."

"You too, Stardust."

"Come on, Nightrainbow, you weigh a lot more than I do!"

The three dragons slowly got off their best friends who dusted themselves off hugged their best friends and then slowly raised their left hands and the dragons touched their muzzles to their hands.

This was how a symbol of trust with dragons was when they pressed their muzzle against your hand and you felt this bond that had no real words to describe. It was a truly indescribable feeling.

There were many things that bonded the three Haddock siblings. One odd thing that was just shown was the fact they were all left-handed which was an odd thing in and of itself.

But the thing they truly shared was really remarkable about them that no-one outside their mother and the two young ladies approaching them with another dragon knew was just really what they're truly gifted with.

"Hey! Thought you would never get down here!" said the older of the two girls who looked about twenty-two. She'd medium length blond hair, two different color eyes, one was blue the other green and wore a green and gold outfit.

The other girl was about 13 and had long sandy blond hair with scarlet tips, earthy brown eyes and a scar down the right side of her face and wore a maroon tunic dress.

They wore matching helmets though each with a ring of gold holding a gemstone in the center the older girl was green and the younger red.

"Sorry, the rescue plan hit a snag at the end and well were delayed in making it to the Sanctuary," Valka informed the two young girls.

"Say no more, Valka. You had to calm down your husband again by the looks of it. We're sorry you three have to go through that when the rescues don't go flawlessly," the older girl apologized looking at Hiccup who gave her a half smile.

"It's alright, Skullette. We've been doing these rescues since basically the time I was able to take my first step and it's what I and my siblings do. It's not like it's the first time a rescue went awry."

"Still your dad shouldn't be so mad at you three. Even if you are rescuing dragons right under his nose or if he doesn't know about your special gifts," pointed out the younger girl in a sympathy voice.

"We know that as that's what we're speaking about on our way here, Firefang. Though we at least have you and your cousin and family to help us with our work in this Underground Dragon Sanctuary. Thank the gods for that!" Boden breathed in a sigh of relief.

"That and your family as your own secret gifts as well so we bonded over that too. Though before you say it again we know you two don't see each other as cousin but sisters. After all, we know you two have been raised together since your parents passed, Firefang," Una cut in before the girls could speak again.

"It's alright and yeah we bear no ill will to the dragons for my parents dying in a fire started by dragons. Our family is enlightened and knows they are just doing what all living things do to survive," Firefang assured the little girl whom she saw as family.

"That's right and yeah we've our spiritual gifts and you all have your gifts as well. Though we've long since learned as I'm sure you said on your way here we still haven't figure them all out or what you're all truly capable of." Skullette quickly said and the Haddocks nodded.

Firefang went over to the cavern where the kept the books and brought a few backs with her. "Well, you'll be pleased to know I've still been keeping the books up to date.

The true Book of Dragons. With the real facts and knowledge of everything, we've learned over the years since your family started rescuing and training dragons. So we have the real knowledge about who they truly are and not that book of falsehood that Gobber has in the Great Hall."

"Well, you do have the best penmanship on all of Berk, Firefang. So when your family did the show we could trust you with our secret of our Underground Dragon Sanctuary that's why we let you start keeping the books down here." Valka reminds her.

"And I thank you for the job and I still love all the poetry ideas I get inspired by working down here."

Suddenly Hiccup's green eyes flashed again and all of them both his family, their friends all their dragons were viewing the memories of how this Sanctuary came to be.

These memories were being pulled from the precious memories of his family starting with his mother as she was the one to find this place thanks to her own dragon Cloudjumper.

Her memories which all were seeing flash before their mind's eye in a golden light played so beautifully. How it was a dragon raid and Valka was protesting and saw Cloudjumper break into the house and she has gone to defend Hiccup who was a baby at the time.

But Cloudjumper been merely curious of Hiccup and tried to soothe him by rocking him, though he got startled and accidently nicked his chin giving him his scar. That's when Valka and Cloudjumper eyes met and they made a connection.

Valka also because she wasn't attacking or harming Cloudjumper he didn't hurt her. Though Stoick came in by throwing an ax that startled Cloudjumper who start breathing fire out fright and the house was coming down.

He grabbed her too and flown out of the burning house and Stoick feared Valka was lost and Hiccup had cried some after his father was gotten him. But all Cloudjumper had done was fly to the safety of the forest where he'd dropped Valka was they're far enough away from the chaotic battle of Berk.

She had passed out from fright for two hours and came too none the worse from the wear and realize the dragon had saved her from being hurt realize all she ever thought about dragons was true.

She was ready to thank him and go home but the ground gave out from under them and they'd landed in these caves. It took them a few hours of exploring and bonding more to find their way out. But by then they'd become one and she'd named him Cloudjumper and Valka knew this now part of her life.

So Cloudjumper stayed in the caves and thus begun the start of their secret work. She managed to get back to the village by the wee morning hours battered and bruised and told Stoick some of the truth but not all of it.

That the dragon had flown over the forest and she'd managed to get free landed in woods and was unconscious for a couple of hours and it took some time to figure out the way home from the experience.

Now Hiccup, Boden, and Una all had the same memories all bubbling around in this origin story of how they too knew it was their destiny to help dragons and how their special gifts had emerged.

Their mother had brought them each to this underground cavern with her with some of the dragons she'd rescued in secret with Cloudjumper's help and each of them when they'd been about six months old been in the caverns with their mother while their father been away at a chief meeting.

Somehow each of them had found a mysterious egg that shown up out of nowhere like it was just there meant for them. And when they hugged it had hatched and in each of those eggs had been their dragons and each of their first words had been their dragons' names.

Or what they'd tried to say their dragon names being babies at the time they couldn't say it properly but Valka nonetheless knew what her children were trying to say and thus begun her children lives as dragon trainers.

Though something else had emerged about the time they'd all could talk properly and be working with their dragons. It seemed as their memories were showing they discovered they could do things no-one else could do.

Some of their earliest memories of training and rescue quickly showed this. Like somehow Hiccup could always feel in his heart when and where someone didn't matter if it was human or dragon they're in trouble he just knew they were and where to go help them.

Or if he was in trouble he could summon people to him. Then, of course, was this freaky thing he seemed to be able to do with memories share his own memories or help others recall precious memories to their heart.

Because all this seem to come from the fact he'd so much love in him they deemed his powers The Powers of Love.

Boden may have problems with his sometimes controlling his own moods and emotions but his own powers shown in these memories that Hiccup was showing that Boden's powers were of empathy.

Hiccup had nicknamed him "Dragon Whisperer" because of what they'd at least figured out what Boden could do already. As an empath for dragons he was able to hear and feel their thoughts and emotions, sometimes see their memories, sense their presence and speak to their souls.

As for their little sister? She had a most special gift for she was a bridge between worlds and this was quite an amazing gift but not any easier for her to see sometimes the past or future in her dreams, talk to the spirits of Valhalla, able to sense danger or occasionally touch an object and get a vision from it.

The memories faded and they all buckled and their dragons had to catch them. "Thanks, buddy. I hated when that happens and I don't willing to do it. It so draining on my energy," Hiccup replied tiredly as Toothless threw him on his back as did the others.

Valka looked a bit troubled for a moment as did Skullette and Firefang as they quickly got some cold berry juice which was Una's favorite made them drink it.

"Thank you," they all managed weakly. They looked almost corpse-like and it was clear they needed to rest.

"Perhaps before you try training the dragons you just rescued or finding out more information about the mystery you've been trying to solve you all should lie down?" Skullette suggested tentatively gesturing to the beds they had ready for them.

"You really should rest. You'll need all your strength for training and besides, you know your abilities don't work on command and again as far we can tell you've only begun to scratch the tip of what you're all capable of doing.

Still, at least take a short nap. You're not gonna end this war peacefully or help either of your people if your drained before the work has begun." Firefang agreed with her older cousin/sister.

"They both have a point, my children. It seems when your stressed and comes down here it does seem to spark up your abilities. And you've been up all night because of dragon raid. At least get a few hours of sleep."

"Alright, Mom/Mommy we're so tired anyway," as their dragons took them over to their beds. Their dragons tucked them in and curled up around them and the six siblings fell into a peaceful slumber.

"You'll watch over them while they rest for me?" Valka asked anxiously to the sisters who nodded.

"Don't fret at all, Valka. We'll make sure they get a few hours of shuteye and still get at least an hour of dragon training in an attempt to unravel the mystery of why the raids have gotten worse." Skullette promised.

"Alright just make sure they get back home at least by four clocks that should be at least two hours before Stoick and I return since we always have dinner at six. Also, make sure you two get back before the rest of the village notice you're missing for long too."

"We're good at living our own double lives too you know. We and the rest of the Anquetils clan does fairly well at this for as long as we've been doing this, Valka. Go everything will be fine and don't worry no-one will ever discover the Underground Dragon Sanctuary.

No-one's found it yet and we'll continue to make sure of it. Now go!" Firefang hurried her and Valka nodded pausing only long enough to kiss each of her sleeping children brow and hurried up another flight of stairs and coming out from a hollow oak tree and heading towards the village wondering what her husband was up too.

Whilst the rest of his family were up to secrets that were literally going on underneath his very feet Stoick had finished with getting the village back in order at last.

Therefore now the order of business was to actually solve the real problem. Getting rid of the dragons once and for all. Stoick completely unaware of what his children or wife did or the special gifts his children had been bestowed with was making a big and angry speech about dragons being a demonic plague that was gonna end them any day now.

"Either we finish them or they'll finish us! If we find the Nest and destroy it the dragons will finally leave! They go find another home! One more search before the ice sets in!" as he slammed a dagger into a map of the unknown.

The other villagers were less than enthusiastic and a few said things like, "Those ships never come back." Or "Haven't we tried this a thousand times before and nothing ever comes from it?" and "Is there really any point? What's gonna stop them from coming back even if we do destroy the Nest if by Odin's grace we even find it?"

Stoick's anger was quickly returning upon hearing his people talking in such a manner. Valka had told him to deal with his anger before coming home and dealing with the children so he dealt it in the only way he knew how and how best to get people to fall in line.

"We are Vikings! It's an occupational hazard! Now either we go find the Nest first thing in the morning or if you all wish to shirk your duties to both your families and village I suppose you could always stay here and try and take care of my kids instead."

Well, that was all it took to get everyone in line as they screamed they're willing to go first thing in the morning to find the Dragon Nest and rid their island of this dragon scourge once and for all.

"That's better you are dismissed as he waved his hand and everyone bolt. Gobber was laughing a bit as he took a long swing of a drink from one of his many attachments.

"Well, well, Stoick you're pretty clever when getting people to do what you want them to do. So I better go get my best skivvies packed for the trip."

"No, you're to stay here and train up the new recruits. That was already decided, remember? Dragon Training Classes are your job to teach. Or did you forget that too?" Stoick asked his best friend as he sat down with a large sigh looking very tired.

"You look like you've something on your mind, Stoick. Why don't you have a drink and tell your old buddy Gobber what it is?"

"You know Valka never approve of me having a drink before having to talk to the children. You know how she feels about drinking, to begin with, Gobber."

"I don't understand your wife sometimes, Stoick. She's so different from everyone else on the island. I don't get what kind of woman gets angry that a man enjoys having a drink with his buddies or bets occasionally?"

"Valka doesn't like poison in the house or in the lives of our children. So that's why their none of it allowed in the house."

"I don't get her idea of poison. What's wrong with a good stiff drink every now and then?"

Stoick gave him a hard stare before choosing his words carefully to his best friend, "Gobber your my best friend and a good friend to the family, but I do agree with my wife that you can get a bit too overindulgent when it comes to drinks or gambling."

"She's filling your head with nonsense," he said dismissively as he had to fish his fake tooth out his beer mug and Stoick decided to bring up the reason Valka really didn't approve of Gobber two unhealthy habits.

"Gobber maybe you can't recall this, but Valka and I do since it was our wedding ceremony. But you got so drunk at the event you did some well not that I would ever speak them out loud to any of my children. But that's how inappropriate your behavior was because you got that drunk. So please don't think my wife's viewpoint on what she finds poisonous and evil to be kept away from kids as wrong, okay?"

"Well, you raise your kids the way you see fit and you're the one married. All I know about marriage is you pick your battles carefully. That's all I ever learned about folks who tied the knot choose your battles wisely."

"I'm worried about the next battle for sure."

"What battle is that? What's really on your mind, Stoick? The fact you've once again to discipline your kids for causing destruction? They're a strange bunch those three," he said only to be glared at by Stoick so he shut up.

Stoick seemed to be lost in his mind as he was in deep thought thinking very carefully before saying what had been on his mind for a long time. What had made him a little angry and partly been brought on by fear.

"Gobber I've never told anyone else this and I've never even really told Val this but I'm really scared for my children. They're all so different. I've known who and what I was since I was a child," as he got up and start pacing and seemed to be trying to say something and was struggling to find the words.

"When I was a child my own father told me to bang my head against a rock and I did it without questioning him and it split in two. I knew from that's what a Viking could do. A Viking could tame seas, level seas and I knew what I was and I had to become. But my own children?" again he seemed to pause as if struggling to find the words.

Sighing he seemed again to be unable to word this the way he wanted without saying it hurtful for himself or his beloved children. "Don't misunderstand me, Gobber. I do love all my children and they are my most precious treasure. I tell that to Valka every night before we got to bed.

The day each was born I could've happier or prouder. But they are just so…different. Ever since all they could crawl they just been different! They just don't listen and all have the attention span of sparrows!

I love it that they possess their mother's spirit. Still, I worry at the same time about each of them for different reasons for each of them as any parent would. But the thing I worry most about is what am I do if something were to happen to me and Valka?

I know I won't be around to protect them forever and neither will Valka and it just seems since the dragon raids increased they seem more and more eager to show me they can take care of themselves.

Though all they do is the exact opposite and scare me even more. I don't care about the damage they caused I'm more frighten what's gonna happen to them if I don't stop these dragons soon.

Because again if either us were to die then Hiccup would become chief and have to watch over Boden and Una. He's always kept his promise well to look after him. He has done that better than I ever dreamed he would though after last night?" he sank to the ground and his mind flashed to his memory of the night with Cloudjumper and he didn't see it the same way Valka saw it.

He saw it as the night he almost lost his wife and his son almost lost his mother. That his wife was almost was killed and that he'd never be able to enjoy having his second son or that Una the only daughter ever to be born into the Haddock line never would exist.

How helpless and terrified he'd been all night and that he'd been overjoyed when Valka reappeared the next morning battered and bruised but otherwise fine. Her first order of business had been to nurse Hiccup and calm him down.

Valka always told him not to worry about that night. That nothing bad had happened other then she'd had a mild concussion. Plus they'd to spend a while rebuilding their house of course. Nevertheless ever since that terrible night, he'd been worried about what could happen if he wasn't able to protect his family.

Now that fear was really driving him to end the dragon threat for good as he couldn't stand that memory of seeing Valka being snatched and Hiccup crying even if Valka had come home a few hours later with nothing worse than a mild concussion.

Seeing his friend reliving that terrible memory that no-one was allowed to bring up which was an unspoken law of Berk Gobber more or less got what Stoick was trying to say.

"Well, if you're worried about Hiccup being unable to properly protect Boden and Una why not put him in Dragon Training as well?"

Stoick came out of his sea of memories and looked shocked at the suggestion as Gobber hurried on, "Look, Stoick, I know Hiccup due to his size isn't able to really even pick up a weapon, but if he was in Dragon Training he'd at least finally learn how to fight properly and know how to defend himself as well as brother and sister from dragons.

So learning to properly defend himself and his younger siblings wouldn't be a bad idea. Also, he might finally learn to be a real Viking and whatever oddness is in him might be smoothed out and then it could be smoothed out of Boden and Una as well?

You spoke the truth yourself. Neither you nor Valka gonna lives forever. And well sooner or later Hiccup gonna have to take over as Chief. He might as well know something useful, shouldn't he?" Gobber finished speaking as he took one last swing of a drink.

Stoick seemed to be really considering his words when the doors of the Great Hall swung open and Valka entered and spoke in a humorous way.

"Stoick, I know you need people to follow your orders as chief and you only wish the best for the people of Berk. Though I don't think you needed to use your own children as a threat to make others behave. It's our job to make sure they behave not their job to make the village behave!" she laughed gaily as she came up to her husband and kissed him passionately on his lips.

Though when he didn't return her kiss with any romantic affections of his own she knew something was still troubling him. "Stoick? What is wrong? Did something go wrong at the meeting? What's on your mind?" she asked concerningly.

Swallowing hard and bracing himself for what he knew was coming he looked at Valka's light blue eyes the same as their daughters and almost couldn't bring himself to say the words he was about to say.

Stoick wasn't one to be a coward, but he also knew again in marriage you pick your battles wisely. He and Valka always had three things they didn't exactly see to eye on. They'd different opinions on dragons, slightly different parenting styles and the fact Valka was often pointing out he didn't seem to listen when he should.

However, despite any married couple who had their disagreement or minor spats there, of course, was the one thing they did agree on wholeheartedly. They agreed the wellbeing of their children always came first. Though what he was about to suggest was about to bring that into question for sure.

"Val, could you please sit down? There is something I want to talk to you about."

Growing suspicious because he was asking her to sit that told her he was worried she either be very angry or possibly pass out. Still, she did at the request of her and they went a little ways from Gobber who was occupied with drinking some more beer.

"Alright, Stoick, now what is it? What's going on? And please don't beat around the bush. I don't want to play any games I just want the truth."

Sighing he took her hands into his and began as calmly as he could to try to use the right words, "You know how we agreed we'd never intentionally do anything to harm our children?"

"Yes, we love them, protect them and I think we've so far raised them well. I know you do feel a little disappointed at times that they don't exactly fit into the mold of the proper Vikings. But haven't I said to you it's more important to be true to yourself then being someone you're not?"

"You have many times and every time you bring that point up until you always asked if I really want them to be like everyone else does that mean I want you to be like every other woman on Berk."

"And what do you always say?"

"That the reason I love you so much is that you're different. Your beauty comes from within because you're different. Your strength comes from your spirit and you're one of a kind.

I've never know another woman like you and that's the reason I fell so deeply in love with you and I never chose another woman to be my wife of being the mother of my children other than you."

"Exactly my point I've only made a thousand times, Stoick. Whenever you feel that your children should be like everyone else's children. The difference should be celebrated not treated like a crime that should be punished," she yet again had to remind him of when he let the villager's words get into his head.

"It's just I know our children are not only different in a special way. I have no doubt they are special, but I'm still worried about their safety and with the dragon raids getting increasingly worse. Or what almost that night…"

"Stoick! I know you've forbidden anyone from talking about that night to spare Hiccup of knowing how he got that scar or Boden and Una knowing what almost happen to me. Or because you don't want to think about it.

Nevertheless, we've been over this enough times! I'm FINE! And I told you again and again. The dragon wasn't trying to harm Hiccup at all. It was merely curious about him and when I came in I startled it and so it accidently nicked him.

Though because I wasn't being aggressive it didn't respond with aggression. You frighten it and that's why it responded instinctively by trying to protect itself. Then it grabbed me to get me out of danger because the house was coming down.

It dropped me over the forest once it judges me to be out the danger of the chaotic battle and fire. And other than being knocked out for 2 hours, getting a mild concussion and being banged up I did come home once I found my way out of the forest.

The worst of that night was it took us a month to rebuild the house and I was ordered bed rest for two weeks to recover from my minor injuries. It should've been one week according to Gothi but you insisted on two weeks.

But neither Hiccup nor I had any lasting damage. But I learned that night if you don't respond violently with a dragon they won't respond back with violence either."

"Valka you could've been killed! I could've been without a wife or Hiccup without a mother and neither Boden nor Una would've been born."

"Though that night just revealed the simple truth that you just keep refusing to see! Don't you get it even now? Dragons are just like any living creature of this world. They do what they must to survive the same as you or I. They need food and water to provide for their families and only fight to protect themselves and their loved ones!

It's as simple as water and rain. Why do you refuse to see that?"

"Val, let's not talk about this and get to what I want to talk about with you?"

"Fine let's drop one argument and get ready for another that I know is coming. I can never with that one with you anyway. So what are you about to drop on me anyway?"

"Given what happened that night and that things only seemed to be getting more dangerous around here because the dragons are stepping up their attacks…I'm thinking its time Hiccup learn to properly defend himself."

She cocked an eyebrow crossing her arms and said in a low voice. "What do you mean by that?"

"I think it's time Hiccup learned to fight dragons so I want to put him in Dragon Training Classes in the morning."

"You want to do WHAT?! GOBBER!" she rounded on the old blacksmith at the seething mother who came over so fast she was a blur and he didn't have time to think as she haled him up with strength she shouldn't possess but she was a raging mother.

"What cockamamie ideas have you been filling in my husband's head you drunken ass?! I know this is your doing! Answer me!" as she was trying to wring his neck and Stoick had to pry his wife off him.

Gobber was gasping for breath and was still quite blue looking at the Chief with his wife battling it out.

"Stoick you cannot be serious! Trusting our son's life with that crazy fool! I've seen how he teaches! Are you crazy?!"

"He did make a few good points Val. Hiccup is getting old enough that he should be treated like a man, not a small child anymore. And he needs to learn some basic fighting!"

"Fighting?! Why is it all you men think about is how to fight and die before your even born?! I told you I fed you to wild boars for that ax you tried to make for Hiccup before his birth!"

"Valka, he is the eldest and he should know by now how to fight in some capacity! How is he going to become chief if he doesn't know at least some battle skills, or how can he protect Boden and Una, if something was to happen to us if he's never been taught anything?"

"You truly think to put him in arena run by a drunk gambling fool is gonna man him up?! And hasn't Hiccup kept his promise well enough to protect his brother and sister without ever needing to lift so much as a blade? There are other ways to fight and protect someone that don't involve spilling someone guts in a bloody battle, Stoick!"

Gobber who had gotten his breath back came hobbling over and tried to interject. "You know Val, Dragon Training can be a good thing. It helps teach all kinds of important things. Not just how to fight these unholy beasts but things a boy Hiccup age should know like for example…" and Valka smacked him before he finished.

"Stay out of this Gobber! You've already caused enough problems! And don't you dare say what you think any of my children need!" she snapped at him venomously.

"Val please calm down! Let's not bring your anger home tonight! Can't we come to some type of compromise here?"

"Like what? You want to willingly and knowingly put our eldest child, who may I remind you was born two and half months early, in a death trap! How do you think we could reach a compromise?!" she was still seething as she was thinking about the scariest night of her life.

The night she'd gone into preterm labor at seven and half months and seeing Hiccup for the first time. How weak and frail he was and her ultimate fear he wouldn't make. Stoick promised her he'd lived and become the best of them all and the fact he'd lived and thrived was a blessing. But the very idea of putting him willingly in danger went against every fiber in her body.

Stoick knew this was what Valka was thinking about and why she'd been so nervous and scared when she'd been expecting both Boden and Una despite their plan to always have three children. And why they'd promised to make sure their children were always protected but still allowed to live.

"Alright, how is this for a deal, Val? If you allow me to place Hiccup in Dragon Training Class you and the other children can watch. And if you feel he's in danger you can bust in and rescue him. I know Hiccup won't care what the village or other teenagers think."

"And you know I'll be in there faster than we can only guess the Three Dragons of Legend can go and don't think I won't! I'm not gonna watch our child be murdered because of that idiot," she pointed at Gobber who now was backed wisely away from the couple.

"Fine. Is that a good enough deal? Is this a compromise we can live with?"

She looked like she was debating and finally sighed before grudgingly saying, "Well I know this is the only deal I'm getting fine. But we better not be setting a ship aflame with Hiccup's body in it! That's all I'm saying when you get back from trying to find the Nest! We better still have all five us alive!"

"Alright, we better get going home. You still have to make dinner and we need to check on the children."

"Fine. I'll meet you outside, I need to calm myself before we get home." And she started to the door almost not hearing Gobber whispering to Stoick he married one hell of a woman even if she's the lousy cook on the island.

Valka paused in her step before turning around and punching Gobber in the gut once then continued on to wait for Stoick outside. Stoick just laughed as Gobber was really starting to nurse his wounds from a very enraged mother.

"Gobber, you really don't know much about being married and certainly know nothing about a mother who cares for her children. But I didn't marry Valka for her cooking that's for sure. Though I married her for many of the reasons you just saw and any woman who willing to speak her mind as well stand up to me and for her children to the point she is more than a match for me.

Not to mention she's truly the most beautiful woman in all the Nine Realms next our daughter. Not even Odin's wife Frigga or any of the 38 Valkyries could match Valka or Una's beauty! Now excuse me I've to get home. See you and put some ice on those wounds. You have got a job to do in the morning," and with that Stoick went outside to join his wife who'd been counting to try and calm herself down.

When both Stoick and Valka returned home it was 4:00 and Hiccup, Boden and Una had long since gotten back from their secret work at the secret Underground Dragon Sanctuary.

As they'd slept their dreams had all been troubled. Hiccup was somehow intercepting memories of the ghost of the dragon and human souls that were in contact with Boden and Una who'd been tryin to provide small clues and hints to unraveling's the mystery they'd been trying to solve.

They'd slept for about 4 hours and spent two and a half hours making little progress with the training with the new dragons they'd rescued last night. Though their training skills had been honed well after all these years, their special gifts still were unpredictable and didn't work on command.

All they'd been able to really gather over the course of the last two years with their abilities from the dragons they'd rescued was they seemed to be under mind control that once rescued was broken. All of them were still extremely scared about whoever had controlled them and they'd only been given an incredibly vague direction plus images of a fiery mountain island they'd never be able to find at this point.

At this point, they're not thinking about their secret lives. Instead, they're just focusing on playing in their backyard. Just running around chasing each other and a ball whilst laughing. Then they all fell down on top of each other and were hugging and kissing. Just happy having fun and being together.

Stoick sat down on his favorite chair outside to watch his children antics while whittling a duck and his wife went to cook dinner which readies at a quarter to six when she called them all in to eat.

Everyone raced in from the back door and Valka curtly reminded them to wash their hands before they got to eat and that went for Stoick too. So going over to the wash basin they thoroughly washed their hands and held them out to Valka who said they passed inspection.

It was a typical Viking dinner of fish, cabbage with some bread and yak milk. Una made face and let out a whine. "Why do we have to eat the same thing over and over again? Why can't we have anything new? I've eaten so much fish I could grow gills!"

"Honey we can only eat what is available to us to eat and sadly that means, fish, chicken, bread, cabbage, and yak. Please try and eat your cabbage tonight. You need some veggies in you," her mother replied in a weary voice as they'd this conversation many times before. It didn't help Una was going through her 'picky eater phase" either.

"But, Mom, this cabbage is gross! If you expect us to eat our veggies couldn't you at least have gotten good cabbage?" Boden complained as he looked at what was gross looking cabbage and his father swiftly told him.

"Boden, mind your manners. You know perfectly well the best cabbage fields got burned two months ago by a flock of Nightmares, so, unfortunately, we've had to get cabbage from the rotten field by the most disgusting man on Berk. It can't be helped. So please just eat your dinner without complaining about it."

"Okay, Dad understood," he grumbled as he started on his dinner and so did Una who still wasn't happy about the menu. Hiccup wasn't really looking at his dinner but merely lost in thought.

None of the children or Stoick ever complained about Valka's bad cooking skills. It may never taste the best, on the other hand, they knew it was made with love, plus it was either eat it or got hungry. In addition for them at least it never tasted as bad as it did for others because they loved Valka and one way or another love improved the taste just enough for them.

After a short time eating in silence Stoick and Valka eyes met and knew they'd have to break the news to the kids so Valka started by doing what she did once a week anyway.

"You all remember that you've done your chores right? And that means doing them right the first time? Cause if you don't I'll have to embarrass you all."

"We know, Mom/Mommy and we know you'll tell us what chores are to be done on Monday," they replied.

"We also know your father doesn't get out of doing his share of the chores either, looking him dead in the eye as she said this. "In fact, I'm charging him with washing tonight dishes as punishment for the mistakes he's made today. So you better to the right tonight, Stoick or your sleeping with the dogs," she informed him with a glare.

"Val, I know you're still steamed, but do you really want to punish me before I set sail in the morning?"

"I feel if I don't punish you now I won't get the chance later, and you know I've no qualms about carrying out embarrassing you if don't do your own share correctly. So do them right, Stoick! It's the least you can do for what your about to do!" she snapped angrily at him.

Well, that was all the kids needed to hear to know their parents were heated about something so it fell on Hiccup to find out what it was. "Um, Dad? What got Mom's blood running so hot? Is this about last night?"

Stoick sat down his silverware and shook his head and with his wife glaring at him he knew she wanted him to be quick and to the point and get it over with. "Kids I'll be leaving with first light to try and find the Dragon's Nest.

Your mother as you know will be in charge while I'm gone, but while I'm gone there will be something different this time."

"Different?" they all jumped at this for every time their father left they're just told to stay out of everyone's way and it gave them time to do more secret dragon work.

Stoick looked Hiccup square in the eye and told him. "Hiccup you'll be starting Dragon Training Classes first thing in the morning," and Hiccup had lost his voice as did everyone else at the table.

"I feel it's time you learn to fight and it will help prepare you for your duties when it comes your time to lead. Not to mention it will help you better protect Boden and Una and you'll grow stronger in ways you never imagined.

Don't worry your mother will be watching with Boden and Una to make sure everything is alright. So I can't wait to see how things turn out when I get back in a couple of weeks hopefully."

There was stunned silence before a lot of anger, tears and fury were heard. Boden shot up from his seat and screamed at his father. "You want to have our big brother killed so he can be more like you, Dad?! Are you out of your mind?! This is insane and so are you!" and he ran angrily from the room upstairs.

Una was looking at her daddy with tears flowing from her blue eyes like waterfalls. "I don't want to watch one of my BBBFF be murdered! You've just given him a death sentence, Daddy! We might as well get the flaming arrows ready!" and she left crying loudly.

Hiccup in all this time hadn't said anything or even seemed to absorb the fact of what was to happen to him in the morning. He just shot up from the table and ran up the stairs knowing it was his job to comfort and calm his brother and sister down.

Stoick hung his head shamefully as Valka just sat there with her arms crossed before saying, "How did you expect them to react?"

"A lot like this."

Sighing they began working together to clean up dinner and Stoick started to do his punishment of doing the mountain of dishes while Valka went to work sewing. "We at least should be thankful for the miracle that is our eldest son. He's the only one who'd comfort or calm down Boden and Una when they're this upset. Even you and I can't do that miracle."

It was true as they listen to loud voices up on the second floor where the children bedrooms all were they couldn't make out what was being said or how Hiccup did it, but he was the only one whenever Boden and Una got upset he could calm them down.

Whether it had to do with Boden's mood swings or Una's mental social problems or just everyday life he could calm them down and make them happy. And they're able to do that for him when he'd the same problem.

Stoick often wonders how Hiccup was able to do this when he and Valka couldn't and Valka's answer was because Hiccup just had so much love inside him.

Later that night after everyone had calm down Valka did what she did every night. She tucked all three kids into bed while singing the Dragon Lullaby kissing them goodnight while Stoick watched from the doorway of each bedroom.

Then they climbed into their bed downstairs kissing each other goodnight whispering that they loved each other and their most precious treasures where the three sleeping souls above them.

Stoick whispered to Valka while he couldn't see the future he'd a feeling something was coming and that something would soon change their family lives forever and Valka only hoped it would be a good change and they fell all contently asleep.


	3. Dragon Training Classes

Dragon Training Classes

The village of Berk was busier than the most bustling beehive long before dawn broke over the island. The ships had to be prepared for going to try and find the Dragon Nest and there was the other hard part to take care of too. The emotional part. Saying goodbye to your loved ones.

Of course, always going to the unknown or any battle was always an emotional affair full of many emotions and something like this often brought up fear, suddenness and so it wasn't a surprise at all it was a most somber affair.

Though for the Haddocks who were gather neared the largest and lead ship there was more than just sadness and being somber. There was anger, frowns and unhappiness.

Valka who had Una cradled in her arms because the poor girl had cried herself to exhaustion wasn't looking at her daddy either. Boden had a look of pure anger on his face and was turned away as well from his spot on his mom's left side and Hiccup was just out of touch with reality altogether.

Stoick couldn't stand the sight before and knew he couldn't leave with the possibility of never returning with his family in this state of mind. Full of so much negative and frowns. So he did something he hoped he wouldn't regret.

"Look, I know this isn't the happiest of days for any of us and I know last night wasn't good for any of us either. But I promise to make it up to all of you when I get back," pausing a moment as none of the children really seemed to be listening or still looking at him.

"I'm making a Haddock Promise that when I get back we'll have a Family Day at Lover's Cove. So we can forget all this unhappiness and just forget all the recent hell we've been through and just enjoy being a family for a whole day."

That got all three kid's attention and they snapped out of their funks at once giving their father their full attention at once. "Do you mean it? Do you promise Dad/Daddy? A Family Day Lover's Cove?"

"I give you my promise as a Haddock that we'll have a Family Day at Lover's Cove when I get back. I promise it and as you know when a Haddock makes a promise…"

"They are bound too to keep it no matter what!" the kids finished all at once and looked extremely joyful at the idea of spending a day at "Lover's Cove"

Valka looked at her husband a little worried though. Lover's Cove was a special cove known to only their family. She and Stoick had discovered it by pure chance on their first anniversary.

For the reason that the village had made him forget his anniversary, she'd gotten mad and ran into the woods in an attempt to get him to pay attention to her. He realized she was missing and they'd found each other in the woods. Unfortunately between it being very dark and their arguing they'd gotten totally lost and she'd fallen through a crevice and they'd discover a beautiful hidden cove in the shape of a heart.

It was the perfect romantic hideaway or just place to go to get away from it all for a couple of hours. And since they alone knew about and could find it when they'd wanted to be alone they knew how to disappear and no-one could disturb them.

Therefore it became their family secret hideaway when they just need a break and time for their family. It also ironically where they started their family as it was where Hiccup was conceived even if they'd never inform him or anyone of that!

Though the Cove was so enchanting and magical. The amazing colored rocks the hid it so well, the turquoise waterfall that fell into the pool ringed by the greenest of grass, with the most unusual of flowers grew. Including the most beautiful of them all. The one Stoick named after Valka called Valka's Lily. The tall unusual tree that also stood there where they'd carved their declaration of love in its bark.

Though now that everyone's moods were happier, as well as lighter everyone, gave one another a proper goodbye. Valka told Hiccup to take his brother and sister and wait for her back at foot of the dock. She needs her moment alone with their father and they understood their parents needed their 'mushy' time.

As soon as they're out sight and sound she looked at Stoick with a worrying glance, "Why did you do that? Make a Haddock Promise?"

"Valka I couldn't leave with everyone in such bad moods. That's not how we should part ways."

"Well, you know they are gonna be highly disappoint and heartbroken if you don't come back now and we don't go to the Cove together. So make sure you don't die and can keep that promise."

"I'll keep the promise, don't worry, Val. I've never failed to keep a promise to my children, have I? I don't intend to let them down now."

Biting her lower lip she just looked at him, "Please don't let them down on this one either. We haven't been to the Cove in so long and we really do need a family day there. Now I'm keeping my promise that Hiccup won't be barbecued in the Dragon Arena."

"I know you'll keep the children safe. But I'll say my prayers to Odin and Frigga all the same."

'You better as I will do the same. Stoick you know we both want the same thing. To see our children all grow up, to find love, get married and have families of their own. I don't want that to be taken away because we're making a mistake out of fear is all."

"Trust me, Val, like I said last night. I may not know the future, but I know this in my heart. All our children will grow up and they'll do miracles we won't see coming at all. I can feel it," as they just stood gazing lovingly into each other eyes and sighing they kissed passionately and cried some before he had to finally set sail.

The family watched with the rest of the families as their loved ones set sail to do what they thought was best to end this war. For a moment it was heartbreaking but after the heartbreak was replaced a wave of nausea for what was happening next.

Sighing Valka picked up Una again knowing Una wouldn't be able to walk and used her other hand to grab Boden's left hand. "It's time," she said simply in a very flat voice.

"Yeah, I've been so looking forward to all morning being in a world of pain. Yep looking forward to it so much," mumbled Hiccup in his most sarcastic manner though no-one could laugh this time as they went towards the arena.

When they're about 50 feet from the arena was when Hiccup stopped himself and turned around to hug both his siblings as long and as tight as he could. There was a lot of crying going on between them. They were all whispering the same thing. "Don't die!" and "I promise I won't!"

After he couldn't waste one more minute they're forced apart while his mother and siblings went to find a good viewing spot and he reluctantly went to pick up an ax his father had left nearby for him since he knew couldn't have carried it that far.

The other teens who hadn't come to the docks to see anyone off were already there eagerly awaiting for Gobber to throw open the door so they could walk into what was their fantasy come to life.

Hearing them going on about scars, mauling and burning like it was fun and cool, he couldn't help but shake his head and mumbled. "Great I'm in a class with people who think pain and suicide are forms of pleasure and entertainment. Whoop de do!"

"Welcome to Dragon Training!" was the next thing anyone heard as they scampered inside and Hiccup hung back till he was sure they're far enough in that he could slip in without being seen.

However, when he stepped inside everyone's heads snapped around so quick it was with the sound of a whip and their eyes all gleamed evilly. Or at least the Twins and Snotlout did. Fishlegs didn't say much merely looked meek, he was more a bystander if anything to avoid being picked on himself, it didn't stop him from chuckling a few times.

"Well, well if it's the village's mama's boy. Who let you in? Surely not your mother. No way she let her precious little Hiccup anywhere near a dragon!" jeered Tuffnut laughing so hard he was starting to cry.

"Yeah, like with your baby soft hands how are you not even bleeding from even touching that ax? Since your mommy never let you even pick up a knife to cut your own dinner?" Ruffnut barking with her own cruel laugher while skipping around Hiccup.

"What do you think you're gonna do? Huh?" Snotlout got right in his face with a menacing leer that you could smell his really bad breath. He gave him a small shove causing him to stumble a bit as the egotistical and narcissistic fathead twisted the blade in as far as it could go.

"You think you're gonna finally make your daddy proud by somehow magically acing this class or by doing the impossible and take out one of the three Dragons of Legends? A runt like you? All any of those dragons are gonna see when they come out of their cages is something sick and insane!

At least we're Vikings! I don't know what you and so scrawny twigs you call siblings are, but you sure as ain't Vikings! This is gonna be so laughable. We don't even need to learn anything! We can just put you and so worthless siblings of yours out as bait for the dumb beast. With you three being so insane they laugh themselves to death and threat be gone!" and with that Snotlout and the Twins fall to the ground laughing so hard they're crying tears.

There was a very low growl heard from behind Hiccup and then before the three bullies knew what was going on someone had thrown a bolo tying them up and in then another rope with a hook that soon had them hanging upside down from the top of the arena.

The person swung down in front of them and was glaring at Fishlegs as if daring him to let out one more chuckle or he'd be next in being tied up and humiliated for bullying Hiccup up. Then they turned to face the three foolish idiots who'd been mocking Hiccup and his siblings yet again.

"Hmm, the class hasn't started yet and yet I already took out all three of you. And I didn't even break a sweat. I wouldn't bother with Fishlegs as I know his style is more spewing a lot of facts then actually fighting," Astrid said coolly with a cunning look on her face.

Everyone could see she was undoubtedly furious with everyone's behavior at the moment. Though given the situation and what people knew of Astrid overall no-one was sure if she was furious at the bullying towards Hiccup and his family or that they're being idiots before class had begun. Given everyone knew how devoted to becoming a warrior she was.

Taking a deep breath she spun them around once and then yanked them forward and to hiss at them "So how about we not fight each other and instead fight the dragons? Or at least someone tries and fight a dragon and give me a little challenge or it won't be fun trying to have an honor of killing one if I don't even have to break a sweat!"

And with that, she let go the rope that held them upside down and they smashed to the ground knocked out for a couple of minutes and Fishlegs hurried away clearly not wanting to get on Astrid's bad side.

Astrid looked a bit mean as she stood off to the side but she was close enough to Hiccup so he could hear her perfectly as she muttered out the corner of her mouth, "Straighten your stance and put your feet closer together. Also, your ax won't feel as heavy if move hands a little closer together and don't grip it so hard. Relax and breathe. You'll be fine."

He was so shocked by what she said to him, nevertheless he did as she instructed a found it did help. As a result, he looked at little a bit more confident and things felt a little lighter.

Gobber then steps forward and began the speech he'd given to many recruits over the years of teaching Dragon Training Classes and about whoever did best would get the 'honor' of killing their first dragon in front of the entire villager. Which of course everyone but Hiccup looked happy about. He felt like throwing up at that thinking of Toothless safely hidden under Berk right now.

Gobber was now talking about the different species they'd be learning to fight and while Hiccup's mind was thinking about what he knew about them to be the truth, his thoughts were getting interrupted by Fishlegs's gibberish.

He turned and was listening to the boy next to him. Fishlegs have never been unkind to him or his siblings, though he hadn't been exactly friend either nor had he'd tried to help him and siblings either. He again just sort of stayed on the sidelines and never really did anything but let things happen and never tried to be his friend either.

Now Hiccup just listens to him rattle things off about dragons like he was doing in sort of a gaming fashion as he would term it. It also sounded like he'd gotten all his facts from the false Book of Dragons the one the Vikings had written which basically said "Kill on Sight" for everything.

Hearing those terms made Hiccup think back to the book of true dragon facts his family been writing for over a decade with the help of Skullette and Firefang. And then his mind was just thinking of his secret work with the dragons, his siblings and how he really didn't want to be doing any of this right now.

He was so lost in his mind he never heard or realized till he heard Boden and Una yell from afar "Hiccup look out!" that Gobber had done his style of teaching which was "learning on the job"

And he'd unleashed a Gronckle without teaching anything really at all! And Hiccup woke up out a daze and was in a panic and all his true dragon knowledge left him and he was just panicking thinking about his brother and sister watching him.

Gobber was telling them to get shields and then the Gronckle was shooting at them with its fire. It had a six-shot limit and Hiccup manage to calm down enough to realize a few things by looking at the dragon.

He knew it was female and like any of the dragons that were kept here this arena, she was most likely scared. The fire she was shooting wasn't too attack them but just out of fright. And they're only scaring her worse by making noise and with weapons. She was just frightened and confused only wanting to be somewhere safe and less frightening.

Hiccup still was totally distracted by these thoughts plus thinking of his own family that he lost the shield he was holding. He slowly backed against the wall and then tried to show he wasn't a threat by acting passively.

Though Gobber mistook him for being about to be killed when the Gronckle got near Hiccup and was looking at him strangely and yanked her back making her shoot off her last fireball by accidently.

"That's six! Go back to bed you overgrown sausage!" and he threw her cruelly back in the cage locking her back into a cold, cramp and dark space. Then he turned back to his class and told them firmly. "That's all for today lesson. You'll all get more of a chance to fight tomorrow. But remember this for it's the most important thing you'll ever learn. Dragons always, ALWAYS go for the kill," he glared at Hiccup as he said this. Then waved his hand dismissing the class.

The rest of the kids left all rubbing their aches and pains while still being on a high from how great they felt their first class had been. Hiccup on the other hand just went over to a series of crates put the ax down and looked like he was ready to cry.

Astrid made it halfway up the ramp and yelled she forget her ax and then ran back inside and found Hiccup looking very sad and distraught. She took a deep breath and walked slowly over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. He jumped in surprise.

"Aww!" clenching his chest as if his heart was gonna stop he looked more surprised to see who was standing there. "Astrid? What are you doing here?" as he quickly tried to brush away the tears he'd been crying. Not wanting to look weak in front of her.

"Hiccup are you okay?"

"Do you really care? I thought someone like you wouldn't care if someone like me was upset."

"I do care. A distract warrior in battle is easily killed and well, don't let this get around Berk, but I don't like to see people feelings get hurt by bullying.

People really hurt my feelings after what happened to my beloved Uncle Finn and it really hurt and still hurts if people every tease me by what they think happened that night."

"So you don't like bullies?"

"People should be considerate of other's feelings and know that words cut deeper than any sword blade. And the way Dumb and Dumber and that arrogant jackass who thinks he's the best thing since Thor's hammer treat you and your brother and sister?

It gets my blood boiling every time. Since they obviously didn't learn from getting their stupid asses smacked till their black and blue for what they did to your brother or the month of hard labor for they did to your sister!"

"I thought I was the only one who knew or remembered those events. How'd did you know about those?"

"If it involves those three being bullies I know it. A good warrior keeps their eyes and ears alert. But that's why you didn't do well today in class, isn't it? Because of their bullying and your thinking of your brother and sister wasn't it?"

"Yeah," he admitted as he turned away for a second and sighed. "I never wanted to be in this class. Dad just decided it last night and said he wants me to learn to fight so I can protect the family better. I do understand my Dad's POV I do.

But I'm scared I'm gonna die and my brother and sister are gonna see me die. So how am I supposed to be able to do this? My job my whole purpose in life is to be there for them!"

"Well, I'm here to learn to fight for a loved one too. I devoted my life to fight in the name of my late uncle. I'm trying to be the warrior he'd like me to be in the name of his memory.

Maybe instead of worrying of dying you should focusing of learning to fight for the ones your love and when facing the dragons or the idiots of the class block it all out and just think who you're fighting for. Maybe that's how you'll get through these classes.

Don't try to be the best one in class to impress your father at least just try and make it through. But fight for your family and focus on that and that might be enough for you to get through it," she suggested with a small hopeful smile on her face.

He slowly turned and looked at her with a smile on his own face. "I guess that's the best advice I'm gonna get. But um thank you for defending me and my siblings from you know the Twins and Snotlout."

"You're welcome but keep this between us."

"Don't worry, Astrid, one thing you can count on is my family is quite good at keeping secrets. I won't let anyone know about this, but can I at least tell my brother and sister you at least were defending us from bullies because you do care about our feelings?"

Thinking about it a moment she nodded. "You may tell Boden and Una since I was defending all three of you last night. That I did it because I do care about your feelings. But only them and because you swear you're able to keep a secret but that's it. Got it?"

"You have a Haddock Promise we won't tell. And a Haddock Promise is always kept no matter what."

With that Astrid left in a hurry and exited the arena acting like her normal tough and hard as nails self. Shortly after she left was when Valka, Boden, and Una showed up and the family left for the Sanctuary.

Like before Skullette and Firefang Anquetil were there. They're with Valka and Cloudjumper in the supply cavern taking inventory about what Sanctuary was running low on. They'd need to come up with a plan on how to get what they needed for the dragons once they discovered how much they needed after their done.

Hiccup on the hand was with Boden and Una with their dragons on the other side of the Sanctuary. Still trying to work with the new dragons they'd rescued the two days before and talking about what happened today.

He was also talking quietly about what Astrid had said and told them it had to be kept between them as it was a Haddock Promise and they said they understood. Though all three of them were happy to know Astrid did at least care about their feelings.

"At least what I was sort of able to feel coming from her was true. Even if my powers I more to feel dragon emotions not human," Boden whispered as he approached some Nadders.

"I don't think you need your powers of empathy, Boden to feel that or my very strong sense of intuition or any of our powers really to guess how Astrid felt about us being bullied. I think it's just something we can feel within our own hearts.

Powers or no powers, don't you agree, Hiccup?" Una looked up to meet Hiccup's eye though he was busy scratching Toothless near the spot that made a dragon so passive they fell asleep.

"What did you say, Una?" as he hit the spot and Toothless fell to the floor contently asleep.

"We're saying we could sorta guess Astrid cared without being blessed. We asked if you agreed."

"Well," scratching the back of the neck and approaching some hyped up Nightmares and pull out something from his pocket and holding it out to sniff. "I've always felt there more to most people then at first glance. I have always felt Astrid had a pure heart and there more to her then just being a warrior. So it's nice to know I was right."

"That and you've been in love with her since just before I was born," giggled Boden and even Stardust was giggling and her scales seemed to shimmer as she giggled.

Hiccup shot a look at his brother but smiled nonetheless since he knew it was true.

"Boden, can you have Stardust do her shimmer again? It would get those pesky Terrors back in their cavern so they stop chewing on supply baskets Mom, Skullette and Firefang are gonna need tonight to restock the caverns."

"Sure thing. Not a problem. Stardust lets go shimmer like a starry night sky!" and got on her and they glide down covers and her shimmering did attract all the house cat sized dragons then lead them back to their own cavern.

"How are we supposed to make sure they don't get into the supply caves yet again? They've been at it a lot more since the dramatic increase of dragons went up in the last two years." Boden inquired to his brother who shrugged at first.

"Well if worst comes to worst maybe we should place dead eels on top of the supply baskets, though we don't know if that might cause a panic down here by the stench or not," Una admitted in a slightly worried tone.

"Yeah, we don't know that it wouldn't. Which is why we haven't done it yet even if we might have to try it, sis. I mean we know dragons don't like eels and they are attracted to shiny things. Or they have that spot on their chin they make them fall asleep."

"Well, we also know they sleep more soundly and calm down more easily thanks to Nightrainbow's singing. The different songs he sings to them seem to have different effects on them as they do humans.

Though the one we call the Dragon Lullaby at least puts humans to sleep and instantly calms down even the most rageful dragon. I just hope my skills in music continue to help us down here.

I've been just wishing the dragons would bring more objects with them so I might finally find a trigger object to give us more of an idea of what going on wherever they are coming from.

Since I'm not getting much from my dreams and the souls of Valhalla haven't been much help either."

"Are you having any luck, Boden?" Hiccup inquired to his brother who'd just finished 'talking' with the Nadders and looked a bit disappointed. "No, it's like the same response from yesterday with little no additional information.

"So?"

"It like all the dragons we rescue are under some type of mind control. Like they have no free will of their own. When I try and look at their memories it's so chaotic and then talking to them it's all the same.

There intense terror, utter confusion and like coming out of a nightmare; on the other hand, they still can't seem to explain what's happened to them. They just seem too terrified to communicate about what transpired beforehand and their emotions are just pure terror and feeling safe here."

"Are you getting anything yourself, Hiccup?" Una asked in desperation to her oldest brother who shook his head sadly with his own look of frustration and desperation at the situation.

"I keep hearing their cries for help. I can feel a very faint long distance call for help but I can't pinpoint it. Therefore I sense the dragons are truly asking for our help even when they attack us, they are seeking our help to end their problems.

I can also feel strongly they've loved ones they're trying to protect and scared for. I can catch glimpses of extremely vague and fragmented memories of that in my mind however really nothing that can help us."

"And from the limited number of things my dreams have told us it's not much either to help us in our mission, brothers." Una really looked sad as she was crying as Nightrainbow nuzzled her as she spoke between the tears.

"I've seen how the Dragon War started. I've seen countless senseless battles our people have to partake in for 300 years. I think I've seen their island but I've not a clue where it is though I know what it looks like. And I just keep hearing the ghost of our people who were stupid and foolish."

"Well, we may not be able to do much right now to help solve the dragons' problem off the island or unravel the mystery of what's going on. Still, there must be something we can do to help us and the dragons here. But what?" Boden asked aloud as they all slumped to the floor and their dragons all laid their heads in their laps and purred.

Valka along with the others was walking over to them now looking a bit grim. "Hey, how are you all doing?"

"Not good, Mom. We are no closer to solving this mystery and I'm still stuck in Dragon Training Classes that goes against everything I believe in!"

"I'm sorry, Hiccup. I also hate to bring more bad news."

"What is it, Mommy?"

"You three will have to be on your own tonight whilst I, Skullette and Firefang go on a supply run. It will look too fishy if you three disappear right after Hiccup's first day in Dragon Training Class."

"Mom you know supplies runs are dangerous! We always watch each other back! We are a family! Its how we learned to ride and the truth about dragons were working together!" Boden jumped up and ran to his mother who hugged him.

"I know, Boden, I know. But we can't risk the family this time. And not with your father gone this time. You three are to stay inside and not act suspicious while I'm gone with the girls."

"How long are you gonna be gone, Mom? You'll have to go pretty far out to get away from the watchful eyes to get enough fish. Plus you still have to go to the Abandon Isle where we get the rest of the supplies from the burn out village." Hiccup reminded her and Valka didn't look happy she looked grim.

"We'll be gone at least three days and it's gonna look very strange with your father gonna too and me gonna too. So you three are gonna have to tell everyone I've got a cold and need three days to rest.

"Even if the village is nosey and might find it fishy they won't dare try and find out if your mother is gonna or they'll face your father," Skullette pointed out.

"Yeah, no-one but your mom is allowed to tell Stoick off. He's rather intimidating and if anyone wants to know the Haddocks business or tries to spy? They will be shipped off the island on a burning ship!" Firefang added and everyone knew it was the truth.

"Okay, Mom but what am I supposed to do in the meantime in Dragon Training Class?"

"Try and not die and make sure Boden and Una are safe."

"We better get back to the house and you better leave when it gets dark. It's gonna be a new moon tonight so it's gonna be the darkest it's gonna be. Be quick and be back as soon as possible, Mom. I'll keep everyone safe. I promise." Hiccup making yet another Haddock Promise as they all hugged and took another secret passageway out.

On their way home the siblings were trying to think about how they could solve their problems and not let Hiccup die till their mother got back from the quick supply run.

It hit them like a bolt of lightning. They'd take both Astrid's advice and their own knowledge of the truth of dragons and put it to practical use in the ring. That and using their powers maybe they could passively change people minds about dragons and still protect all they cared about without giving anything away.

At least it would keep Hiccup's head on his shoulders till their mom came back. So the next day they told the island their mom had a bad cold and she is laid up for a couple of days.

Then they headed to the arena to put their plan into action. The first order of business was to get through a maze with a Nadder which Gobber teaching about blind spots and being quick and light. Though again he was a very bad teacher.

Boden and Una were watching and just prayed they could do this without giving anything away and making sure nothing happened to their brother. Though they also didn't want anything to happen to Astrid either since she told them she cared about them.

So when it began Boden started to concentrate with all his might and finally made direct contact with the dragon who was a female Nadder. The Nadder was a typical Nadder in personality and Boden talk very quickly in his head establish trust.

Once the Nadder understood that these three were friends she asked what did they wanted her to do. Boden told her they'd find a way to free her and the others in the arena if she did not harm his brother or the girl with the ponytail. She may act a little mean at times but she had a good heart.

Agreeing to the terms she set herself to do what the young Dragon Whisperer had asked and only acted aggressively around the others. But they were so incompetent anyway they were really no threat.

And to Astrid's surprise, the dragon never attacked her or Hiccup. If anything it seemed to be playing a game with them. There was a split second when the Nadder and her eyes met and she felt something she never felt before.

Astrid was frozen at the moment because of the strange feeling she'd looked at the Nadder and didn't realize the wall was coming down on her. Then two things happened at once.

One was Hiccup knocked her out the way in a time of the first wall but as a second wall was about to crush them there a series of the spine that shot out. The two teens looked up and Astrid was shocked and saw the Nadder had used its spines to shatter the wall into small pieces that wouldn't hurt her or Hiccup.

The rest of the class didn't seem to notice the odd behavior of the dragon in this class. They just felt the dragon had been aiming to kill them or cause more destruction.

And the other kids were making jokes about love on the battlefield and Hiccup fled the class with his cheeks blushing fire red from the mocking but Astrid just stood a long time stunned as she watched with a knot in her stomach as the Nadder was forced back into its cage.

She was in the arena for an hour after everyone left and held her hand against the door to the cage just feeling strange and she knew the dragon had saved her from being hurt. She then whispered, "Thank you."

And took off running wondering what was going on with her and what were these feelings welling up in her? And why did she feel so funny after feeling Hiccup touching her like that?

The next few classes seemed to change how Dragon Classes ever had been taught on Berk and soon whoever had been left on Berk was watching though it was always Boden and Una got the best seats.

Things had changed dramatically in classes. Somehow Hiccup was able to drive back a Zippleback with just hand gestures. Of course, no-one knew this was because of the hidden eel under his vest.

No-one was the area that Hiccup's abilities were just the hidden sweet spot, dragon nip, shiny objects on some dragons. Or that Una dream in advance what dragon they'd been in the class and what tools he'd need.

Or that Boden would be talking to the dragons and calming them down in the arena to make them less frighten and help them understand with the promise of freedom. And they'd learn new things about dragons this way too.

That's how it went for a few weeks. Dragon Classes in the morning, working in the Sanctuary in the afternoon and by moonlight hanging out and flying with their own dragons.

It all seemed to be working flawlessly and it seemed too slowly help them make some progress with their abilities in all areas. Dragon Training, the mystery of the dragon raids, their special abilities and hopefully changing people's minds.

Though if they're having the desired effect would soon be revealed and it might not be the answer they're looking for.


	4. A new ally

A New Ally

In three short weeks Hiccup, Boden and Una had gone from the village screw-ups to the talk of the town. Since Hiccup was the star of Dragon Training it was only natural people were paying more attention to Boden and Una too. As a result, now everybody found literally everything the three of them did 'miraculous and noteworthy.'

Nowadays instead of everyone mocking and tormenting them, they're showering them with attention, affection and practically worshiping the ground they walked on.

Even their former tormentors the Twins and Snotlout were kissing up to them any chance they could and doing any favor or bending over backward trying to be their new best friends.

It was extremely overwhelming to the point of suffocation for the three of them. It actually got to the point Valka had to threaten people just so her kids could get into the house to sleep at night. All the same she and though they didn't realize it Astrid knew that not one of the three siblings was actually enjoying this attention.

Astrid may act like at least in the public's eye that all the heroes worship the Haddocks were getting was bugging her. Though in truth her softer more empathetic side could see they weren't happy at all.

How could they be? It was almost as bad as being bullied in some ways from her point of view. Because now they'd no privacy, no time to themselves and again it was beyond overwhelming that everyone was bugging them.

Furthermore based on that first class and how well she knew them in her heart she just knew without a doubt one thing for unquestionable. That for Hiccup, Boden and Una Haddock hurting others wasn't in their nature. They're just too compassionate in addition respected life too much, that the very idea of hurting anything even a dragon must be beyond awful to them.

Astrid had always known this for sure about Hiccup and his siblings since she'd seen it so many times from how they just treated each other. Like she told Hiccup that first day she kept her eyes and ears open. Therefore she saw and heard things others didn't and well right now she knew things that the village wasn't paying any attention to at all.

Like how when every other person was racing to the docks when ships were returning from their attempt to find the Nest she knew Hiccup, Boden, and Una wouldn't be there to greet their father. They'd have snuck off to the woods like they frequently did, taking what was a concealed path to everyone else; however, she'd found it. Though she'd kept silent about it.

Whatever they're up to in the woods she figured they needed to get away from the village and the crowds for a chance to be true to themselves. For herself, she also wanted to vanish into the woods for a while to sort out her own mixed-up feelings.

As a result, the minute Stoick and the other Vikings were sailing into harbor the four young children had all disappeared from the village into the woods to sort out their feelings.

It was strange really that no-one noticed the three Haddock kids missing. Or one young girl who everyone usually admires. And yet that same young girl was starting to question everything she'd been taught since birth to believe in and yet was starting to feel new feelings. About a dragon, how she truly felt about Hiccup and how deeply she did care for him and his siblings.

As it was Stoick's first thoughts weren't immediately on his kids but on his lingering anger for failure to find the Nest as the battered and burned ships proved they'd come home empty-handed.

Gobber was helping him off the ship and asking him about how the mission went but before Stoick could tell him or ask where his family was the rest of the village came thundering down the docks like a stampeded screaming things so loudly he could hardly make sense of the joyful mob.

"Stoick everyone is so relieved!"

"Out with the old in with the new!"

"Finally their oddness is gone!"

"We're going to throw a huge party to celebrate!"

"Thank Odin and Frigga for answering the village prayers at last!"

"You finally have three proper heirs!"

As Stoick didn't know what to make out of all of it but pushed his way through till he was off the docks and then looked Gobber straight in the eye. "What are they going on about? What's been happen? Are my children okay?"

"Are they okay?" Gobber looked at him with one eyebrow raised before exclaiming loudly "They're the talk of the town! They can't go anywhere without the village swarming them! Your wife has to beat people up just so they can get into the house to sleep!"

"What?!"

"Yeah, it's a shock! But Hiccup's the best in the Dragon Class and it seems Boden and Una know a few things about dragons too since they seem to be communicating with Hiccup while he's in the ring. Also, they are most clever outside the ring the three of them. Everyone wants to be where the three of them now.

Though they also are cunning enough to know how to disappear as well since they tend to disappear most afternoons. But I guess when the entire village is wanting you I would want some alone time too.

But they have a way with the beasts and if they can also outwit the village and vanish without a trace? Well, you have some remarkable children Stoick."

Stoick looked indeed very shocked and moved surprisingly quickly for a man his size and weight to his house hoping to find his children only to find Valka home alone.

She was sitting by the fire apparently mending some of the children clothes. She looked up when the door was thrown open and smiled elatedly to see her husband home alive.

"Is it true?"

This she frowned at and returned to the sewing for a moment as he came into the house and came beside her and asked for a second time. "Is it true?"

"I suppose you're asking is it true about the singing praise I've heard for three weeks nonstop about the children?" she asked without looking up from mending their daughter's dress.

"So it is true? They are everything everyone's saying?"

Valka for the first time since she frowned put down her sewing and looked at Stoick and then asked him in an irritated tone. "Are you telling me you're now proud of your children because the rest of the village isn't laughing at them anymore?

That you weren't proud of them before? That you value what others think of your own flesh and blood over your own thoughts?"

"I…do don't"

"Stoick it shouldn't matter what the rest of the village thinks or values of our children. So yes what the villager told you I'm assuming at the docks is true.

Yes, Hiccup has done well in the ring. Yes, Boden and Una have been helping him. And yes now no-one will leave them alone as everyone thinks they so 'special" she replied in a huff and then picked up her sewing and walked irately away to go get the laundry.

"What's wrong, Val? Did I do something or the village?" her husband asked in confusion to his beloved's wife behavior.

"I'm angry at the village for only accepting and valuing the children for doing something they accept and value. But not for who are children truly are," she snapped wrathfully as she picked up the laundry basket as he followed her outside where she was planning on doing the laundry.

"And your accusing me of now of the same thing?" he asked confused as they started to do the laundry together. He knew if he didn't help she be more furious at him then the hot water the laundry tub was.

"Well, the moment you walked in the first thing you asked was "Is it true?" That seems to me a pretty good indicator you value what others think!" she replied angrily at him as she threw in both the dirty clothes along with the soap into the tub.

Knowing this wasn't going to go well unless they talked it out he calmly sat down on the grass first and she did the same and they began to work diligently on doing the laundry together.

Though a few moments after they began to start on the laundry in silence he'd chance to absorb what she'd said. Then he winced because he knew she was speaking the truth and he felt ashamed for it. "You're right, Val. I'm sorry for my behavior. However, in my own defense, it was just the first thing I heard getting home. Plus I was so down from not finding the Nest it was just well…"

She seemed to be taking that into consideration, plus remembering her husband was human. It was also unavoidable that with him being the chief there was an image he needed to project and what the village expected. Even if it wasn't what was the truth. People had this illusion of what they thought right and regardless of what was true, they prefer their 'perfect' image over the truth.

So calming down some Valka sighed sadly before saying in a more calm way, "I can understand if you were swept up at the moment, Stoick, though answer me honestly," she paused for a moment from washing their sons' clothes and looked deeply into each other eyes.

"Do you truly in your hearts of hearts care what the rest of Berk thinks of your children? Do you care about the image? That you need the 'perfect children' or are you able to love, care and accept your children for who they are and all that they are?" she seemed to be putting a lot of emphases on this.

He answered without hesitation. "Val, you know the answer but if there any doubt I love my children for who they are and if I was forced to make a choice that came down to being the "Chief" or a "Dad" I'd be their father and not the chief."

"So," she paused from doing the laundry for a moment, "you're saying even if they did something others might find treasonous or if there was something even more different about them. Different in a way that was unlike anyone else in this world you would still love and accept them for who they are?" she for a second time seemed to be really asking him something while putting a lot of emphasizing on her words.

He didn't know why she was stressing this point with him. It was almost like she was asking him something in a type of code. As if she was trying to tell him something without actually telling him what it was.

Reaching across the soapy water to take her hand in his holding it tenderly he spoke even more tenderly. "Valka, I love all our children and I love them for who they are. Despite that, I may not always understand them because we have our difference I do love them unconditionally.

No-matter-what they do or whatever they can or cannot do I will love and accept them and maybe given some more time I'll learn to understand them. Even if right now they all are just different from me," he finished in a passionate but earnest voice with a glowing warm smile on his face.

She seemed to be releasing a long-held breath and then whispered, "Well, it might help our family more if we could all communicate that to each other better. I strongly feel right now the children feel like they can't talk to you about certain um issues."

"Issues?" his eyebrows knitted in confusion. Looking at his wife squarely he asked straight out, "What do you know Valka? What aren't you telling me?"

She hesitated then resumed doing the laundry which after a moment he did. After another moment he did as well then she answered, "I cannot tell you it as it's a Haddock Promise. What I am able to tell you is this much. The children all have some things they feel you'd not understand or accept about them.

Perhaps when we do arrange our time to go to Lover's Cove for your promised Family Day you can finally show them they can trust you and you will accept them for all that they are. And they'll finally open up to you and our family will be better off because of it."

"Alright, I'll try and figure out how best to be able to communicate that. Speaking of the children where are they? Gobber said they disappear most afternoons and they aren't in the house. So where are they?" he asked as they'd finished the washing part of the laundry and were wring out the excess water before hanging them up to dry.

"When the village gets too much they escape to the woods. You know our family knows a few trails the rest of the village doesn't know about. Not just to Lover's Cove," she answered quickly but quietly in case anyone might be spying on them.

"Are you sure they're okay?" he asked worriedly about the kids. He spoke quietly though he felt safe talking. For No-one would dare spy on the chief unless they wanted their head handed to them after he'd beheaded them.

"Stoick, we've all hiked those same trails as a family a hundred times before. Hiccup knows them like the back of his hand. He'll make sure the three of them are safe," Valka assured him confidently.

"So when will they be back?"

"They always get back by dusk whenever else is in bed. They'll be fine. Don't worry. They told me they're taking the trail up to the northeast side of the island near the sea stacks."

"They're not going to close to the water I hope, Una still not a very strong swimmer yet."

"Hiccup promised they wouldn't get too close to the water. And you know both Hiccup and Boden been helping Una out learning to swim better. They'll be fine," as they finally finished the laundry as well as a family problem simply by doing a chore together.

It often helped them in their marriage doing this kind of thing of doing a chore together to simply work out the problem while working together on a chore. So three things got done at once. The chore, they talked it out, and usually, they found a solution by the end of it.

After the last of the laundry was hung the two of them went inside to simply enjoy some alone time. Meanwhile, their children were enjoying themselves as well as sorting out their own problems the best way they knew how.

Valka has been truthful saying where they'd gone. Though Stoick didn't need to worry about drowning in the water, more like falling from the sky! The three siblings were with their dragons having fun and trying to take their mind off how their plan hadn't worked out as they'd intended.

"Alright ready to race again?" challenged Hiccup to his siblings as they prepared to run the course again.

"We know the race, Hiccup. Across the bay, through the archway, skyward to the mountain peak and through the sea stakes." Boden replied impatiently.

"Yeah, we've done it three times already. Though why are we racing so many times? I thought since you taught Boden and me competition are bad things, I'd have thought Toothless would've wanted his sister and brother to know that as well!" Una pointed out as they were hovering right now.

The three dragons glanced at each other with the same loving looks and smiles as their riders for their sibling too. Just not blood-related though siblings nonetheless.

It was how they're raised since the day they'd been hatched and bonded with their Riders. It was a unique bond between their riders and their dragons. A dragon and their rider bond was something that went all the way to one's soul.

Though it seemed because of how close the three siblings were and each of their dragons seemed to be one of a kind and destined just for them and appeared out of nowhere under very unusual circumstances they'd raised and trained them together and so they're a family and siblings too.

And in many ways, they're so much like their Riders both in personality and it looks. It seemed to help with the riding part but also their own family dynamics.

Toothless as the oldest sibling like Hiccup cared deeply for his little sister and brother and always was thinking of the first and do anything for them. He'd cared the most and often took charge when their Riders weren't in the Sanctuary.

Stardust as the middle sibling and only girl was indeed as pretty as Hiccup and Boden's sister Una. She was long and serpentine with butterfly-like wings and gleaming silvery blue eyes that went well with her silver body.

She admired her older brother and was protective of her younger brother and did feel sometimes insecure about being the middle and knew her brothers were protective of her because she was the only girl. Still, she was loyal to her family to a fault.

Nightrainbow and Toothless had some things that made them alike like Hiccup and Boden and yet different too. They're the same size and had the same body type. But Nightrainbow was as colorful as Toothless was dark. His body bright red, wings, spikes, and horns golden yellow, eyes and smile purples and around his neck and ankles rings of rainbow scales.

Though right now despite how different they looked or the fact they're each a different species they're family nonetheless. And they knew why the siblings were unhappy and why they're flying in broad daylight though at least out of sight of the village.

"It's not for a competitive purpose, Una. This is for blowing off steam and to test out how well everyone's speed, agility, reflexes, and firepower are."

"Are you saying we're preparing to fight one day on dragon back bro?" asked Boden as he ran a soothing hand down Stardust's neck.

"I hope not, Boden, but there may come a day when we might have to defend ourselves or the other dragons from whatever is terrorizing them if we ever solve our little mystery."

"And since we failed to get the village to see the light, it still falls on us and our dragons who are siblings too to fight for what's right and defend those who truly understand. Okay, BBBFF! Let's do this!" Una called over the howling wind as they hovered a few minutes and then Hiccup gave the signal and they took off.

It wasn't so much a race as it was a training exercise, however it was done in a way it was game. To make it enjoyable as they pushed themselves to their limits and doing a few tricks as well.

"Good work on the formation practice!" yelled Hiccup as they made it through course in record time and now been doing a couple of formations.

"How about some target practice?" Boden suggested and Hiccup looked worried about. "What can we practice on that not gonna hurt us, someone else or look suspicious?"

"Well, there are some isolated sea stacks and other rocks a little way out. We could shoot a couple of them. Just a few targets, big brother. You did say we need to test everyone's firepower." Una reminded him and he gave a grudging nod.

"Okay we'll do three shots each and then go have our lunch but that's it. And let's try and not do anything that gonna attract attention. Toothless you take the lead," which the Night Fury gave its toothless smile which had given him his name.

They found the isolated rocks giving a moment's pause using their gifts to sense if anyone human or dragon was around and felt no danger. "Okay, Toothless hit the top rock! Plasma Blast!" he shouted loudly and Toothless aimed his blast perfectly at a large rock that a mile out from them. It was a perfect hit.

"Now your turn little brother."

"Alright, Stardust you can do it. Stardust the middle sea stack second rock down. Lighting Strike now!" and a perfect bolt of lightning came zinging out her mouth and incinerated the rock in question.

Everyone either clapped our bellowed in approval and then Una tried to look a little more mature but failed, "Okay, Nightrainbow show your BBBFF and BSBFF what you got! Far left sea stack bottom rock. Fireball Fury. Now!" and a rainbow-colored fireball burst out of the youngest dragon mouth and blew up the rock in question.

Excited they did try harder angles the second time and the third time they combined their attacks and felt they'd done enough and went to go have lunch. Though they almost didn't get to have lunch ever again because of a large gust of wind sent them all flying off their dragons!

But showing their dragons did have quick reflexes and reaction times they not only caught them quickly but did some stellar acrobatics while doing as they took them to where they'd prearranged to have lunch.

"Okay, don't tell Mom about that one!" Hiccup said breathlessly as they sat down to cook their lunch while Toothless had gathered a lot of fish and now was upchucking it for his siblings.

The siblings' squirmed a little even if they're used to how dragons 'shared' their food. The fact was if a dragon wanted to share some food or had to feed its young it would regurgitate it. Didn't mean it wasn't gross still.

Hiccup worked on fixing his siblings' lunch whilst Boden occupied himself with polishing Stardust's scales and Una worked on a new tune with Nightrainbow. Then all of sudden they heard Toothless let out a low growl.

Looking up from his cooking Toothless was glaring at a group of Terrible Terrors who'd been lured in by the scent of the fish cooking. Obviously, they hadn't had much luck finding food looking a tad on thin side themselves.

Toothless was standing protectively in front of their food and the Terrors tried to get at it and even made a grab for a few fish and he bit down hard on one they manage to take yanking it back.

Looking to strike back they opened their mouth to fire back he sent a quick but small blast in and the tiny dragon fell backward smoke coming from his mouth. Hiccup looked a bit upset with his dragon, "Toothless stop it! That was uncalled for, there plenty for all us to share," and his dragon cringed back looked regretful for his haste actions.

"Go and apologize to them now!" he told him and Toothless went over to the Terrors and Boden translated that he was apologizing to them and invited them to join them for lunch.

"That's better, Toothless. Remember always help those less fortunate then yourself. And we always have enough to share. We better take these little guys back with us to the Sanctuary. Their skin and bones!"

"You're right about that brother. Come here let me see you, little guy," Boden called to the one who'd been smoking and he came over to them. "Hmm I guess dragons aren't fireproof on the inside, that's strange. Tell me your story a little one."

The tiny Terror snuggled against the ten-year-old chest like a kitten and purred contently as he stroked it like a cat for a couple of minutes before going over to Stardust and laying him down next to her.

"Stardust? Can you mother them for a while?" and she nodded as the six Terrors all soon were being mothered by her and Una had Nightrainbow sooth them with the Dragon Lullaby.

"What did you learn, brother? You're looking pretty grim. Why are those Terrors so sickly they dare try and steal from dragons over three times their sizes? That's a pretty plucky move even for them," Una inquired as she gave each of them a salmon.

"Apparently from what Smokey said their normal feeding grounds have been picked clean. There no food anywhere and not just them. Smoky said more and more territories are being picked clean at an alarming rate. A lot of dragons are going hungry and you know what happens when an animal can't find food and gets desperate."

"They start coming to human lands to feed themselves, but is it because of us taking away their lands that they can't feed themselves anymore, Boden? I mean we've been in these lands for 300 long years," Una pointed out thinking back to the vision that had shown her the past so clearly of how things had started.

"But even if we came to their lands before there must have been enough wild game and plenty of fish for them before. It wasn't till more recent times they started to really go after our islands. So something in this equation changed and if the dragons are starving we need to know why."

"Yeah and fast, Hiccup! Because it's only a matter of time their problems become our own. Mom always told us what happens to one affects the other. Therefore what happening to the dragons will affect us sooner or later," Boden pointed out the simple connection that all six siblings both human and the dragon quickly understood.

They quickly got everyone safely back to the Sanctuary and hurried home only to be shocked to find their father waiting for them with a huge smile.

"Dad/Daddy! We didn't realize you're back!" they exclaimed in shock when they came sneaking in the backdoor.

"I got home earlier today and I heard some of the most unusual news when I got home," he started off in a casual tone.

"Oh, really," Hiccup chuckled nervously as Boden and Una drew closer in fright. "Like what did you exactly hear?"

"Oh, a little of this and little of that. Though I want to hear what you have to say for yourselves. So please tell me what have you three been up to all this time?"

"Dad we can't really tell you…" Hiccup began to say before he became tongue-tied whereas Boden was white as a sheet and stammering too as he tried to speak.

"It's just not easy to word how we've been able to accomplish the things we are able to do," before he ducked behind his brother unable to say more.

Una couldn't even look her father in the eye and mumbled while look at her feet. "We really sorry Daddy but it's sort of a secret and we just not ready to tell you yet," and she too ran and hid behind Hiccup.

Stoick didn't know if he was scaring his children or they're still just overwhelmed by the attention they're receiving. Then he recalled Valka had hinted that there were some things his children hadn't been able yet to tell him because they feared he wouldn't understand.

Feeling he needed to show them they'd nothing to fear from him such as rejection or that he never stop loving them he decided to bestow them with the gifts he'd made them for the Family Day at Lover's Cove early.

"I was saving these for when we got around to planning our family time at Lover's Cove, but I think you've all deserve your presents a little early. Here take them," he said as he gave them each a box though each was a different size and shape.

"What did we do to deserve a gift?" they asked in confusion as they looked at the boxes in confusion.

"They are just gifts of love I made to show how much I love each of you. To let you know I'll always love and accept you and you're special and important to me. Go on open them."

So they went over to the table slowly to sit down and open their gifts and took off the tops of the boxes even more slowly and pulled out their gifts. A helmet, a pendant, and a golden ring.

All of them looked at their father for an explanation for obviously each gift had a deeper meaning of some sort and they're right.

"Each of these gifts has something to do with a member of the family and is a gift of love in two ways. Hiccup your helmet was made from your mother's breastplate armor which I had Gobber make my helmet. It was for our first anniversary as a gift so I'd never forgotten the day for a second time. Now your mother and I will always be there to protect you.

Boden your pendant is made from the tip of my first sword when I was a boy. Even though it broke in the heat of battle it still saved my life. So now it shall still protect you as well.

Una your gift is truly special as you are my daughter. It's your grandmother's wedding ring. She never gave up hope that one day the Haddock line would be blessed to have a daughter.

She may not have lived to see any of her grandchildren born but she said on her deathbed she knew I'd be the one to bring forth the first daughter of the Haddock bloodline," he finished explaining the importance of each gift and each of them was taken aback from the significant of their gifts.

"Wear them proudly and take good care of them. We shall plan our trip to the Cove in a couple of days and maybe we'll be able to be more open then. I'm going to bed now. See you in the morning. Goodnight my children."

He hugged and kissed them all and went to his bed to sleep and they scurried up the stairs with their gifts looking at each other with strange looks.

Going into Hiccup room they sat down in a circle and looked them over carefully and couldn't help but cry. "These are really special gifts aren't they, BBBFF?" Una asked both her brothers who nodded.

"Yeah they are Una, and he made Hiccup and mine out of love. These are really thoughtful and meaningful gifts. He really does love us," Boden was crying as he said this holding the precious pendant in his left hand.

"I don't think I'll even wear this much, but it already means a lot to me. I just know a helmet not me, but I feel like Dad trying to tell us that well he knows we are keeping secrets from him," Hiccup said as he turned his new helmet over and over.

"I think he's trying to tell us we can be honest with him. Do you think? Just maybe we can tell him the truth? About it all?" Una boldly inquired to her brothers as she was admiring the new golden ring on her finger.

They're looking at Hiccup to tell them what to do and he was thinking long and hard about it. It was hard to bear the weight of this decision that had such dire consequences of one choice and if they made the wrong one it could end in their deaths.

Hiccup finally nodded his head and looked them in the eye before saying. "When we go to the Cove for our family day we will tell Dad everything. But not till then."

And with that decision made they all turned in for the night knowing tomorrow would be one of the hardest days ever for any of them. Given what Hiccup would have to go through in the morning.

The next day all of Berk was gathered around the arena to watch the showdown between Astrid and Hiccup as they battled the Gronckle to see who'd win the honor of killing the Monstrous Nightmare.

All the spectators were screaming with thrills and excitement watching what they thought to be an exciting display of dragon slaying. Stoick was happy to finally see how his children seem to work together with his eldest in the ring and how his younger children seemed to work with him from the sidelines.

But the three of them had agreed to do nothing this time and just prayed to Odin that the Gods would figure out something else to end this. So Hiccup even wearing his new helmet was merely doing what he could to avoid attacking the dragon.

Boden and Una whom people had noticed acted in a strange way during the class's notices they seemed to be almost reserved and weren't acting in the ways they'd seen before.

The Village was so caught up in both battle and noticing that the Haddock siblings who seemed to work as a team even when not together they almost didn't notice that Astrid wasn't giving it her all either.

She wasn't fighting to kill either it almost like she was purposely missing and making mistakes that she normally would never make. Like she was trying to lose on purpose and Hiccup was also doing the same.

It was very confusing as neither seemed truly willing to attack the dragon and were almost more concerned with keeping the other from doing anything to harm the dragon or each other. And Boden and Una whom again people notice seemed to help from the sidelines were doing the same.

It was then the dragon herself made the choice for them. Having been promised already by the boy and his family would free her and the others and grant them a real life she conceded the battle.

She did this by falling willingly out of the air and playing dead without either child doing anything. For she didn't want either child to become a killer and hoped if neither child 'defeat' her then the whole slaying of the other trapped dragons would be null and void.

Everyone was stunned into abrupt silence and it was crystal clear no-one knew what to think. As for Astrid and Hiccup they just stared at each other in disbelief and their eyes both seemed to be saying the same thing. "Is it over?"

Then the crowd almost became a mob demanding that someone is chosen to slay the dragon. "Slay the dragon! Slay the dragon! We need a champion! We need a champion!"

"SHUT IT!" yelled Stoick as he came forward and banging a hammer loudly to silence the crowd and everyone settled down.

"Due to the unusual circumstances of this event, Gothi will choose between Hiccup and Astrid to decide who will slay the Nightmare tomorrow at dawn. Gothi comes forth."

The old, short and mute elder Gothi hobbled forward and looked down at both Hiccup and Astrid who both seemed to not want to meet her eye. For a moment she could feel neither of them wanted this honor.

Still, she was silent and wordlessly spoke to the great gods of Asgard as she lifted her staff skyward asking them to point it to the one who must slay the dragon. The staff in her handspun on its own accord and then pointed to Hiccup.

Everyone cheered with glee and Stoick seemed to be bursting with excitement, only Astrid seemed to catch the look of sickening horror on Hiccup's face and mirroring expressions on his brother and sister's face without realizing it was also on her own face.

Dinner that night was a mixed event while Stoick was going on excitedly telling Hiccup how best to go about slaying a Nightmare in an animated way he failed to notice no-one else was excited.

Valka finally couldn't bear it anymore and cleared her throat. "Um, Stoick since Hiccup has such a big day tomorrow he and the rest of the children should go to bed early tonight, don't you agree?"

"Oh, yes, get plenty of sleep, son. You'll need it for tomorrow."

"Thanks, Dad. I'll do my best tomorrow. C'mon little brother and sister. I'll tell you both a bedtime story," as they left the room only barely catching a slight gleam from their mother's right eye.

"Stoick with all the excitement we've had for the past two days you must be awfully parched. How about my famous and delicious hot chocolate before bed? Then you and I can have some cuddle time?" she suggested in a slightly alluring tone.

Stoick got a rather aroused look on his face as if his wife meant a little more than just a cup of hot chocolate, "Well, a nice cup of hot chocolate would be a nice way to soothe me before we…unwind.

I really need to unwind after all the stress if I'm to enjoy tomorrow and then our family time at Lover's Cove properly and we haven't had any personal fun in ages."

"Let me then get the chocolate ready and you take a load of your feet! Though you'll have to wait a little bit longer till we know for sure the children are off in dreamland," she spoke still in an alluring way with a playful giggle.

While Stoick went to another corner of the room to get ready for some 'fun' Valka went to a cupboard to make her hot chocolate the only thing that never tasted bad, but she also took a second hidden jar out of the cupboard as well.

She made the hot chocolate quickly with its enticing scent then she slipped in whatever was in the second jar and mixed it in thoroughly. Then poured a large goblet of it for Stoick.

"Here you are, my love. Enjoy," as she handed it to him where he laid waiting on their bed. He smiled amorously and down the cup and the effect was instant and he was out like a light.

"Is he asleep?" called Hiccup down the stairs.

"Yes, he's out cold and will be out till the sun graces the skies," his mother replied as her children came down the stairs.

"Doesn't Daddy know about your family's sleeping potion, Mommy?" Una asked her mother as she quickly hid the jar back in the cupboard and locked it.

"Your father does know my mother came up with a natural sleep medicine to cure my father sleeping problem with natural aids found in nature," she paused for a moment. "But he doesn't know the secret ingredient in its Dragon Nip and I really used a huge dose and well the bigger the dose the stronger the effect it seems."

"We've to be careful with that Dragon Nip, Mom. We know it calms down dragons and makes them sleepy, but we really don't know its true effects on a human's body. Though it did really knock out Dad quickly which given his size and weight I'm wondering how much you did need!" Boden questioned in slight wonder.

"We can worry about the questions and their answers another time, Boden. You, Una and I have a job to do. We've got to go free the dragons in the arena tonight! Mom, you'll make sure Dad's alright while we do one of our most daring rescue missions?"

"Of course, Hiccup. But be silent, invisible and most importantly do not get caught! Hurry now!"

"Let's go!" and they went out the back door and called their dragons with their dragon calls and in five minutes under the cover of night, their dragons came to them.

"C' mon, Buddy. It's a jailbreak time! It's time we did what we should've done years ago!" Hiccup commanded as they flew towards the arena at lightning speed.

Before they landed Hiccup turned to Una and asked her, "Una are you sensing any danger at all?"

"No danger at all and I'll know if the danger of any kind is coming at least up to five minutes before it hits. Boden, you get the locks open now!"

"Not a problem!" as they landed and he reached into boots and pulled out a small cloth bundle with all his locking picking tools. He examined them for a few minutes till he found the right one for the lock to the arena. In two minutes he had it opened and they hurried inside.

"Any danger yet, sis?"

"No, but do you feel any distress calls?"

"Only that these dragons know we are here. Come on help me find the master switch so we can open the cages at once and get them out of here…Aww!"

They all jumped as someone from the shadows emerged just as startled to see them. For a second no-one was breathing as the three of them were looking at Astrid who'd been clearly hiding for several hours within the arena. Given her appearance wherever her hiding place had been it been very cramped indeed.

Before any human could react three blazing blurs reacted as Toothless, Stardust and Nightrainbow curled themselves protectively around their Riders to the perceived threat to them and their mission.

Astrid was very pale now to the point she dropped her ax and was backing into the wall looking like she was about to scream. Hiccup ran so fast he was a blur and pressed his right hand against her mouth with his left to his lips with a whisper.

"Please don't scream or say anything! Please! I'm begging you don't say anything that will get us caught! We'll explain everything if you promise not to scream!" and she nodded even though he was still covering her mouth.

He lowered his hand and she sucked in a deep breath and though she didn't scream there was no stopping her from saying at least the obvious. "Hiccup?! What's going on? Those…those… are the Three Dragons of Legend! Aren't they?! The Night Fury, Silver Phantom, and Aurora Borealis Singer! How is this possible?! What is going on?!" she said in a near hysterical whisper.

"Let me show you," as he took her hands in his and their eyes became locked and his glowed and suddenly her mind became filled with memories that weren't her own. But she got the short version of things to come to her in a very fast way before Hiccup passed out in her arms.

"What's going on? What did he just do? How was he able to do that? Is he alright?" she asked as she threw his arm around the shoulder and walked him back over to Toothless who took him.

"That's how it goes when our powers take us by surprise, Astrid. They drain us because we cannot control them. Or at least not very well," Boden answered.

"Powers? What he just did showing me all those golden happy memories was a power? What else can you three do?"

"Well, Hiccup's powers come from his heart so we've always said he's got the powers of love, I'm an empath for dragons and Una's bridge between worlds," Boden answered quickly and she quickly felt a flood of emotions again not hers.

"It's kind of freaky to be honest, Astrid. But it's helped us with our destiny to save dragons. And well the three dragons the rest of Berk called the Dragons of Legend? There are best friends and brothers and sister themselves. We'd like to explain more if you'll let us." Una spoke hopefully.

"I would like to know the truth, I'd like to know everything."

"Well, if you here for the same reason we here then let us help you first by getting your destined dragon," Hiccup managed weakly from Toothless as he was recovering.

"Sorry about that, Astrid. It always takes a few moments to recover whenever our powers take us by surprise. We have a marginal amount of control even though we were apparently born with these gifts."

"I always knew there something special about you three. Something that really made you three different and special and looks like tonight I learn just how special you three are."

"Well are you here to help free the dragons as well?" he asked her to which she nodded.

"I've been feeling strange since that day we first fought the Nadder. Like there something between her and I. A bond of sorts I can't put it into words. But I can't let her stay trapped here. To be abused and then killed. I won't let her or another dragon be killed ever again!" she stated with passion.

"Well, then you know how we've felt every day since we're born. Let's show you our world and the truth about dragons. But first, let us get you to your dragon." Hiccup told her as they finally got the cages open and the dragons came out.

Whilst his siblings and their dragons got the others taken care of Hiccup slowly led Astrid over to the Nadder she'd felt a bond with and they stopped a short ways from her.

"She's so beautiful, but I'm scared," whispered Astrid, "I mean I feel like she and I are one, but how do I get her to know that?" looking frightfully at Hiccup who smiled warmly and guided her step-by-step on what to do.

"Close your eyes and reach out your hand. Trust yourself and let her come to you. When she touches your hand you'll know she trusts you and you're one," he told her gently.

For the fiercest young warrior she looked very terrified but stepping slowly forward she took a deep breath and closed her sky blue eyes and held out her hand and waited. Only a few minutes later was she feeling a sensation she never would forget in her life.

The Nadder was touching her hand now trying to cuddle her and she was now hugging her back. "There, their girl. You don't have to be scared anymore. I'll protect you and you'll protect me. We're best friends and sisters now," looking right into the dragon's eyes she knew without saying a word the dragon understood what she said and agreed.

"Stormfly. Your name shall be Stormfly. Now let's get all of you out of here while everyone still in a drunken slumber. You're lucky everyone drunk themselves stupid tonight at the Great Hall in anticipation of tomorrow, Hiccup. Especially Gobber!"

"Boy that should make my Mom's day," he said while rolling his eyes with a chuckle, but still looked at Una. "Una are we all cleared?"

"There no danger around here at all and we should be fine making is an escape. Boden, can you make it look like nothing was disturbed and no-one knows it was us who were responsible for the jailbreak?"

"Already seen to it, sis. Now let's fly. Oh, but Astrid doesn't have a saddle. How she's supposed to fly Stormfly out of here?"

"Fly? You want me to fly?!"

"If you're now part of our world you're gonna have to learn to fly. If you're a Dragon Rider now. But since we don't have a saddle for you we'll just have to use some rope for now. Give me a second." Hiccup ran and got some strong rope and showed her the basic of getting on a dragon's back.

"Now just do what we do and trust the dragon to keep you safe. We've got to fly now! Let's go!" and they took off and as soon as they all left the arena the door shut behind them and it was locked up tight looking like it wasn't ever opened before.

"Toothless let's take the scenic route. So everyone can enjoy some freedom and Astrid can learn a thing or two!" he whooped and within seconds they're flying up into the clouds.

It didn't take long for the three of them to show off a few moves that were each of their dragon's special talents and Astrid didn't mind they're showing off. They have probably been dying all their lives to share this with someone who could be trusted and understand them.

She spread her arms wide for a second and laughed an exhilarated laugh feeling truly free. Like for the first time she was getting to be herself and not who everyone else wanted to her to be.

"I want to try something! What can Nadders do? C'mon Stormfly let's show them your talents!" and somehow in almost a magical way she and Stormfly already were of one mind and body and they shot some spine shots off hitting a few far off targets.

The other dragons stuck close as well enjoying being free and showing off their own skills, yet they stuck close to three lead dragons for they knew they'd lead them to safety.

For several hours Hiccup, Boden and Una revealed all their secrets to Astrid who almost instantly seemed to become as competent at dragon riding as they were. She asked them all kinds of questions of their special gifts and they answered those best they could.

"It's getting kind of late and we should head back to the Sanctuary and get at least two and half hours of sleep or things will look really bad when the village wakes up hung-over, Hiccup." Boden pointed out when they'd been out for at least 5 hours.

"Boden's right, Hiccup and Mommy gonna be wondering why we've not to return yet if we don't get home soon. We need to head back!" called out Una over the roaring wind.

Hiccup didn't want what was sort of a date for him to end but knew his siblings had a point. "Astrid they're right. We need to head back and get these dragons to the Sanctuary and get back to the village. So let's head back."

"Well, I guess all good things come to an end. But are you sure you can find the way back? We've been flying for hours and I don't recognize anything in the dark."

"The dragons know the way. Trust them. They've been out this far before and they can find their way back. Toothless take us home, buddy."

They quickly turned around and we're heading back towards Berk when all the dragons suddenly jerked abruptly to the southwest.

"Hey! What's going on?! Guys?!" They tried to get their dragons to listen to them but it was like their dragons had no free will anymore. Like something else had power over them.

Boden felt a chill go up to his spine as he yelled out, "This isn't good! Hiccup! Their minds? I can't feel their thoughts or feelings! It's like their minds just became blank slates! Like their under a spell! Just like how all the dragons from the Sanctuary's minds feel before we rescue them!"

"I'm sensing a lot of danger up ahead! Everyone duck down and stay low on your dragons. I'm getting a foreboding that we are about to see what I've only seen in a dream!" Una warned them and she wasn't mistaken as within twenty minutes they're surrounded by hundreds of other dragons clutching food.

Boden could feel no free will from any of them and then the four of them saw what Una had only described in her dreams once. It was Dragon Island exactly to the letter as she'd seen it in her dreams.

As for Hiccup? His heart and had threatened to kill him from within. Despite their minds lacked free will the hundreds of dragons inside the island they saw once they enter? Their hearts were screaming loud as thunder for help and he was wondering help from what? What was the threat?

They'd least got to a very high position to see things but not be seen. The four of them held hands and that somehow broke the spell on their dragons and the ones that come with them.

Now they watched still frozen in terror as the dragons all dumped all the food they'd gathered into a large glowing pit. They didn't touch a morsel for themselves despite all the dragons looked starved themselves.

"Why aren't they eating the food? They are all obviously hungry," Astrid whispered looking at the emaciated dragon which made her want to cry. Just then they got their answer that explained everything.

A very small Gronckle which had to be a juvenile only about two or three had noticed one very small fish hadn't fallen into the pit. Everyone else seemed to be saying with their eyes don't touch but hungry won out.

The two-year-old went dangerously close to edge to get the fish and then something came up from the depths of the pit and ATE HIM. And everyone screamed in horror and was like "What in the name of ODIN WAS THAT?!"

This thing whatever it was then noticed the Riders and it was clear it wanted them for a snack. Well, the Dragons of Legend weren't legends for nothing they bolted and blasted a hole in the ceiling and made their escape and handful of dragons manage to follow them through many were still trapped under the spell of that thing!

They didn't look back they kept going full speed till they reached the UDS and caught their breaths. Still shaken from the experience and the 20 some dragons that been brought back with them along with Stormfly and the other arena dragons the Haddocks quickly got to work.

Astrid wasn't familiar with the UDS but she quickly figured things out and helped calm down the dragons, got them their first bit of nourishment and then settled them down in some of the empty caverns.

She just threw some thick blankets over a family of Nightmares before rushing back over to Hiccup where he looked deathly pale as did Boden and Una. Stormfly soon joined her.

"What was that thing? What's going on? Do you know what's going on? Tell me!" she demanded in a hysterical voice.

Slowly they steady themselves as they'd finally figured out their mystery and it had a terrifying and deadly consequence. But not just for dragons but all life in the Archipelago.

"Astrid we all need to sit because if we don't we are all gonna pass out so please sit," Hiccup told her as he was still pale so they all sat down with their dragons curled around them.

"Alright you remember that we told you we've had a mystery we've been trying to solve of why the attacks on Berk got worse in the last two years?" he asked and she nodded.

"And remember how we've explained dragons and Viking are alike? That we do what we have to do survive. We fight to protect our loved ones, get food and water and all that?" added Boden and again she nodded.

"And how dragons lived here first and Vikings came second and we should try to live in harmony?" Una chimed in and Astrid nodded a third time.

"Alright here's what we finally figured out. Based on what our gifts have told us and the dragons we've spent our lives rescuing is this. Dragons don't usually come to human lands to get food unless food is scarce due to normal problems," Hiccup began.

"You know like weather problems like drought, fire, or game has moved on. Or the land changed. You know normal everyday things that the same for all creatures in nature," Boden elaborated on to explain the normal circumstance to why an intelligent creature would dare risk confrontation with humans if only food was scarce.

"But this goes beyond the normal reasons for food being scarce for dragons and now it's not just the dragons' food supply being threatened. It's ours too. Because of that dragon we saw!" Una cried.

"I think I get it. It's like a giant beehive and that thing is the queen and everyone else is the workers. But obviously she's got an insatiable appetite and none of the other dragons get to eat anything. If they try she eats them."

"We're pretty sure it's a safe bet that that dragon wasn't originally from that island. It must have come in the last two years and been draining all the neighboring lands leaving all dragons starving. And it seems to have the ability to force its control over others." Hiccup began presenting the facts.

"Once they outside its influence it's like waking up from a nightmare. Their minds are trapped but their hearts are screaming. But if that thing let's please think of a name for it," Boden said in midsentence.

"Let's just call it Red Death because we'll die an in a bloodbath because of that thing! If we don't stop it everyone will starve. The dragons will go hungry and then we'll go hungry too!

There no way the Red Death insatiable hunger ever stops if the raids on Berk gotten this bad and the other dragons in the wild are just skin and bone!" Una cried out in tears and frustration.

"So what can we do? We must save the dragons to save ourselves too? Hiccup what are we going to do?" Astrid pleaded with him as she held tightly to her new dragon Stormfly.

Hiccup just shook his head and whispered, "I really don't know, Astrid. I really don't know."


	5. Revelations

Revelations

Dawn was slowly making its way over the Isle of Berk and truly not one soul on this island in the middle of nowhere was prepared for it. Most of the island wasn't prepared for the massive hangover they're about to wake too for drinking themselves stupid the night before. At the Haddock House on the other hand? Stoick at least wasn't gonna have a hangover, but still displeasure all the same.

"Oh, I feel so tired and weak this morning. Val, what happened last night? I can't remember?" he asked as he felt very tired and strange.

His wife slowly was coming over with a strong drink looking highly disappointed about something, "I'm sorry to inform you, Stoick, that we didn't get to have any fun last night at all."

"What do you mean? I feel true like I'm the living dead. How can that be if we didn't have a good romp?"

"You feel asleep right after you drank my hot chocolate. I think all the excitement and the weariness from looking for Nest took a bigger toll on your body then you first thought. As a result, you burned yourself out before we could have any fun," she replied in a severely disappointed voice with an incredibly depressing look etched on her attractive features.

He looked equally depressed himself plus a sort of apologetic as well. "I'm sorry I burned out before we could've some fun, Val, I know it's been a good two years since we've had a good romp in the bedroom. I mean if the dragon raids hadn't gotten worse I'd be able to fulfill your personal needs and desires better…"

"Stoick Haddock, shush! The children could wake any moment! And our five-year-old daughter doesn't need to hear us talk about that!" she cautioned him while her cheeks enflamed with embarrassment.

Both of them looked a little self-conscious in addition awkward for a moment, changing a glance at the stairs to make sure their children weren't up. It was true they'd only wanted three children and their family was complete.

Nevertheless, they're a married couple who were in love who'd have needs to be met on occasions. Given the expression of Valka's face, neither of them had had those needs met in the last two years. Consequently, it was exceedingly logical to conclude they'd been tremendously deprived of alone time for an unbelievably extended period of time.

"We'll make it up, Val, I promise."

"Okay, but don't talk about it aloud, I don't want the children to overhear. I don't want Hiccup to get any ideas, and Boden and Una are too young to even have knowledge about such things! Especially Una! She's only five years old!" as she went to windows to open them up to let fresh air in.

"The air seems fresher today than normal," Stoick noted as he joined his wife at the window as he followed her gaze looking at the distant horizon.

"Have you ever seen a more stunning sunrise? It's almost like an omen to me. Like something that gorgeous, as well as the sea, being this tranquil, the world it's too perfect. This must be a sign of something," she mused in a dreamy voice.

"I believe you're right, Val," Stoick replied in his own dreamy voice as he cuddled her close to his chest. He looked at the miracle of the world around him as he continued on "You always seemed to be able to sense these things. I do believe this is the day that will change everything for everyone and everything. Our family, Berk and the world. By sundown on this beautiful perfect day, nothing will ever be the same."

"If this a day of change, a date with destiny and fate I only have one wish, my beloved," Valka spoke almost like she was foreseeing what was about to unfold.

"What are you foreseeing, Val?"

"I'm not sure myself, Stoick. I'm not able to see the future any more then you, but all I can say if the Gods are going to bestow Berk with a Day of Destiny I only have three requests of them. It's a change for the better, no-one die and that everyone is granted a happy ending."

"I'm sure if the Gods are about to change the world around us, Val they see that all the request are met. Odin and Frigga have always smiled on Berk. I feel that's true in my bones. So I have no doubt that today is indeed a Day of Destiny and all the things you just said? Will happen for sure!"

"I love you, Stoick Haddock, I love you and our family."

"And I love you all more than anything else in this world or any of the other Nine Realms," and with that, they became enveloped in a deep passionate kiss that did get a little steamy as they fell from where they're standing by the windowsill and rolled a bit on the floor.

The commotion woke the kids and only stopped making out when Hiccup called down the stairs, "Mom? Dad? Are you okay? What's going on down there?"

Both flushings with embarrassment Valka yelled up the stairs, "Nothing, Hiccup! Nothing to worry about. It's just your father being clumsy! Um go get your brother and sister ready for the day and I'll get breakfast started! Take your time!" she spoke in a high pitch voice as she said this.

"Okay, Mom, if you're sure your and Dad are okay. I'll get Boden and Una ready." And his voice and footsteps faded upstairs.

"That was too close! And I hope he doesn't figure out what we're doing. He's very smart! I know that for sure about our children they are way smarter than even I can give them credit for!" Stoick admitted while blushing as red as his beard.

"Just get the room cleaned up fast! And I'll get breakfast started! Also, clean yourself up!" she whispered hurriedly and by the time the kids came down half an hour later, they'd no idea what their parents had been up too.

Though it wouldn't matter if they'd left clues behind at all since the kids were too busy thinking about last night's adventure. The jailbreak, sharing their secrets with Astrid, the Red Death and what were they going to do about it? And what was inevitably going to have to happen today?

If the family wasn't caught up in their own small affairs they might of notice the other's moods. As it was no-one notice that Stoick and Valka were thinking about one thing and the kids had another thing on their minds.

Though before they finished breakfast to head to the arena to what was supposed to be Hiccup's final exam, Stoick did say something that should've been good news, now was only bad news.

"Well, today is for sure to be the Day of Destiny for not just our family but all of Berk and the world. As such by dinner time we can finally plan our trip for our family day at Lover's Cove and then we can finally really talk," Stoick started to say and the kids shared a quick glance of sadness but smiled happily.

Stoick looked at each of his children with a warm, kind and loving smile and then spoke in the most loving voice a true father would use, "Hiccup, Boden, and Una, I know there are certain things you've been keeping from me. Things you feel I wouldn't understand.

So I promise when we go to Lover's Cove you can tell me all your secrets to me in private. Though let me assure you now, no matter what it is I love you all for who you are and nothing will ever change that.

Though I'm sure you'll feel more comfortable telling me what your secrets are when we're all alone.

So just know I'm ready to hear it and I promise I won't be angry or reject you. Now let's go to the arena for Hiccup's big day! You three do have your special gifts with you right?" he asked after a moment and they nodded.

"Alright let's go!" and with that, they family left but the children who were holding hands looked very scared and upset. Wishing just wishing they could've waited till Lover's Cove. But no they couldn't.

It wasn't till they're almost till the arena when a beautiful voice called out, "Excuse me, Chief! I need a moment alone with Hiccup! Please?" called out Astrid as she came hurrying down the path towards them.

Stoick who knew Hiccup had a crush on Astrid and knew he'd done well in Dragon Training figured this was gonna be some young love thing. Which was sorta true.

"Alright, you can have ten minutes. Hiccup? Please don't do anything inappropriate even if you do get a little…"

"Stoick!" Valka quickly hurried him away with the rest of the children so one he wouldn't embarrass Hiccup and two so he wouldn't say more then he should for his younger children to overhear.

Well, the two young teens went a little ways away to talk both blushing a lovely pink whilst looking awkward. "Astrid, I apologize for my Dad…"

"Hiccup let's not worry about your Dad giving your romantic advice right now. We have more important things to talk about!" Astrid cut him off though she was still blushing brightly pink.

"What's going on?"

"Just came from the UDS where Skullette and Firefang are taking care of everyone."

"How are things down there since last night?"

Not one to beat around the bush she got straight to point "They are going relatively okay for lack of a better word. Though all of the dragons are really worked up and restless and Toothless, Stardust and Nightrainbow are trying very hard to keep order.

Stormfly and Cloudjumper are doing their best to help but it's not enough and the three of us like to know if you and your siblings have any real plan? Since the only real solution is to ultimately get rid of the Red Death before she leads everyone both dragons and humans to starvation!"

"Unfortunately there only one thing the three of us can think to do and it happens today."

"You can't be thinking of doing what I think you're saying!" she was taken aback and shaking her head violently then grabbed his hands as if pleading for sanity with him. "Hiccup, no! Don't tell your father the truth today! If he and the village find out it was the three of you let the arena dragons escape you'll be banished or worse murdered on the spot!"

"My father won't let anything happen to the three of us, Astrid, he won't. And we cannot lie to him any longer. He's got to be told the truth, Astrid and only together can we save everyone," he replied in a soothing voice and tried to wipe her tears but she wasn't having it.

"But can you really be sure he won't be the Chief? Hiccup," she took his face in her hands pleading with him, "you know the village will make him choose to either be the Chief or your father. How can you be sure he won't be the Chief and not follow the laws? How can you be sure he'll choose his family over the duties he's had to follow?"

"I can't be sure, Astrid. However, I was gifted with the powers of love. I've seen my father's memories many times in my mind. And he's my father and I know he loves me, Boden and Una. I have to hope he means what he said.

Still, if something does go wrong and we are banished or executed, please make sure the dragons and our dragons are taken care of. Please?"

"I will. Just promise me it won't go wrong."

"I promise it won't go wrong. Gotta go. It's time," and with that, he kissed her cheek and ran to go meet Gobber leaving a stunned Astrid to touch her hand to the spot he'd kissed.

It took her all of 30 seconds to realize what she'd been trying to deny for the last ten years in her heart. What had been true since that day Hiccup cherished so much in his memories. The day he'd fallen in love with her when she defended him for the first time from the Twins and Snotlout now she was realizing the truth for herself.

It has been the day she'd fallen in love with him as well. In all of 30 seconds she realized for a decade she never wanted to admit what her heart been screaming for her head to acknowledge. That she loved Hiccup Haddock for the exact same reasons his father loved his mother. Because he was different.

That he wasn't another beefy egotistical arrogant muttonhead killer. That he was compassionate, thoughtful, protective, well-mannered and respectful. That he did use his brains not mention he was so damn cute and that she always admired how well he took care of his brother and sister.

And at that moment she gripped her battleax and decided if anyone did choose to attack him or his siblings when they told the truth she be ready to defend him to the death.

"I will not let them die! Not the one I love or his family! I swear on the soul of my Uncle Finn I won't let Hiccup and his family die as long as I'm breathing!" and with that resolve, she hurried to the arena ready to watch, defend and die if necessary.

Well, it didn't take long for it to happen since the second the cage was open it was obviously empty. It only took three seconds more to realize all the arena dragons had been set free and in only two more seconds there was a frenzy demanding who set them free and who were the traitors?

Stoick was in the center of the arena now trying to calm down the people finally had to blow a horn to get silence and everyone fell silent. "Now we know the dragons didn't free themselves. So obviously someone freed them and therefore will be dealt with according to the laws of Berk.

Now, will the guilty party please step forth? And this is a direct order!"

Very slowly hand in hand Hiccup, Boden and Una step forward looking both sad and brave. Gathering all their courage they utter the words they could never take back after they left their lips.

"We did it Dad/Daddy."

Stoick was confused as was the tribe for a moment so he looked at them and asked, "What are you talking about kids? What did you do?"

"We set the dragons free, Dad." Hiccup confessed looking at his father dead to make sure he knew he was telling the truth.

Everyone was shocked but their shock was only beginning as the three siblings began dropping bombshells.

"We not only set the dragons free, Dad, but we've also been rescuing them for years. During the raids, whenever you've been gone from the island we'd sneak out in the middle of the night. We've been doing it for years of rescuing them."

"Yes, Daddy we've been not only rescuing them. We have also trained them. We have a Real Book of Dragons, full of truth and facts. Not full of lies like the one in the Great Hall that all it says is kill on sight."

"We used our knowledge on dragons to help keep me safe and alive during dragon class and an attempt to show Berk the truth about dragons. That they aren't a heartless brainless beast."

"They have hearts and souls as we do, Dad. They can love! They can feel! At the end of the day, it's like water and rain! We are truly the same in more ways than you could possibly imagine! They are spiritual brothers and sisters!" Boden was insisting.

"And there more Daddy. There another part that has added my BBBFF and me over our lives in our secret work with befriending and saving dragons and it what helped keep Hiccup safe in the ring. It's what's been helping us for years while we've been trying to solve the mystery of the Dragon Raids on Berk.

You see Daddy, we are…blessed. We have….powers!"

"Before you ask what that means we shall explain. We each have a gift and it's added us many times though we don't have complete control over it and we are only beginning to understand what we can do. And we all sense more will come given more time.

But my gifts we call the power of love! I can do things with…memories and my heart! I can make others see either my memories or recall precious 'golden memories' they've forgotten and I can hear cries of help from someone in distress heart or summon help with my own heart!"

"I'm an empath, Dad…for dragons. Hiccup nicknamed me the Dragon Whisperer. I can hear and feel the dragons' thoughts and feelings. I can see their memories. I can sense a dragon's presence and I can speak to the souls of dragons!" he confessed with tears in his eyes.

Una's eyes were waterfalls as she looked at her beloved Daddy to confess her talents. "I'm gifted in a way that very peculiar but nonetheless special Daddy. I'm a bridge between worlds! I see things of both the past and future in my dreams, I'm able to sense danger, get a vision from an object sometimes and I…I…I can speak to the souls of Valhalla!" she finished while still crying but still being scared how he'd take learning this.

They're losing strength, crying and shaking as they continued on with the confession and then were removing their gifts. "We're sorry you had to find out this way, Dad/Daddy. We really want to tell you in private. But this is who we truly are and we can't change who we are. We only wish we could've told you in private and perhaps sooner," as they walked over to him.

In his shock hands, they placed their gifts and took a step back and now we're awaiting whatever the punishment would be. Stoick just stood shocked and was as stoic as his name looking at his three children as if seeing them for the first time.

He was about to speak when the rest of the island exploded in a fiery rage over their revelations. Screaming vociferously "Traitors! Treason! Banishment! Freaks! Death!"

And in mere seconds the people of Berk had become a bloodthirsty mob ready to murder the helpless children in a murderous frenzy and no-one, not Stoick, Valka or Astrid could save them from the lynch mob that was going into kill the helpless children.

Suddenly out of nowhere there came three strange sounds no-one could recall ever hearing come towards the arena. It was coming from there different directions at once and it sounded like it was coming in super-fast.

Then everyone screamed as the arena was blasted from the left, right and top all at once in a huge fiery explosion and when the smoke cleared not only were the metal bars either melted or still smoking there three dragons curled around protectively around the children snarling angrily.

Gobber shouted to the rooftops. "THE DRAGONS OF LEGEND!" and they're pissed off.

They threw their riders on their back and began to act in self-defense to keep the bloodthirsty mob from attacking them, but also they were defending their parents too. All they did were purely defense moves any fire or lightning was meant to be warning shots or defend.

But in the cramped arena with a whole island full of angry Viking and trying to protect five people the odds were just stacked against them. It was only a 15-minute battle before the children were snatched off their dragons and bound by their hands as well as Valka before being brought to their knees before Stoick.

Stoick hadn't had time to absorb anything that had to happen in the past 45 minutes between his children confession and the dragons trying to save his family. All he could see before him was the bloodthirsty mob demanding he makes a choice.

Either he was their chief or he wasn't. The laws were clear on treason. His family had committed high treason, they'd betrayed their people and also his children's 'powers' must mean they're involved in other wickedness.

Since they could tame the dragons then these gifts were obviously evil as well. He'd no choice according to their laws. Treason and inhuman powers? No, they had to die!

Stoick looked bloodless and his heart all but stopped beating looking at the ones who gave him every reason to live, to fight, to hope, to even breath. His people were asking him to banish or sentence his family to death!

Trying to stall for the time he did what he could at the moment. "Lock up the three dragons in the arena and will the strongest warriors escort the traitors to my house and I'll interrogate them further there?"

So Toothless, Stardust and Nightrainbow were locked up and the family was marched up to their home and while the house was guarded on all sides from outside, Stoick was allowed to be alone in his house with his family.

"What in Odin's name caused all this to happen?! You've done all behind my back?! For how many years?! What?! How did this happen?!" he was demanding and begging them for an explanation.

"Stoick please calm down and we'll explain," Valka start and Stoick yelled, "I can't calm down now! How do you expect me to calm down after what just happened and what's going to happen?!"

"Dad, please! We'll show you! Let me show you!" Hiccup cried out and concentrating with all his might he forced his powers to work and Stoick saw his son's eyes glowing an unearthly green and he was flooded with all their memories of their whole secret lives and he saw for himself in action due to Hiccup's powers all his children's gifts.

He fell to the ground after 15 minutes of being overwhelmed by this all this and his family helped him up. "Do you see now why we couldn't tell you, Dad? Why did we know you wouldn't understand? How could you Dad? Your children are freaks!" Boden yelled at him angrily as he kicked a chair knowing they had just done the wrong thing.

"You hate us don't you, Daddy?! You don't love us any more! We are just traitors and freaks to you now, aren't we? You couldn't even stand the fact we all are small or have slight mental or social problems!

Now you must really think you got the worst deal in the whole Nine Realms when it came to children! You got three kids who love dragons, who have raised and trained them and also to boot have freaky powers too!

How could you possibly love or accept us now, Daddy?!" Una screamed at him as she refused to look at him knowing he was going to disown them any moment and didn't want to look at him when he did it.

"You never seemed to be proud of us or anything and now we are just worse than objects of shame. We are traitors. So what are you gonna do, Dad?" challenged Hiccup.

"Yes, Stoick, what are you going to do?" Valka demanded as she looked right at her husband directly and saw uncertainty in his bright green eyes. "You told me if this moment ever happened if you were forced to choose between being the Chief or your family you'd choose your family. So that moment here. What is your choice?"

Stoick seemed to be deadlocked like he didn't know what to say or do as there was still an angry mob outside demanding he does his job and then before he was his life and his heart.

"I'm gonna have to place you all under house arrest, for now, that should pacify the village for now. If I can do something that will at least please them perhaps I can do something can make them not want to kill all of you.

Though the only thing I can think of that make this all better and not have you all murdered is if Dragon Raids was stop and the problem be solved and then their anger be no more"

"Daddy that's not the solution! Killing the dragons won't solve anything except add to more senseless death for 300 years of senseless death! And anyway it's the dragons that need our help!"

"Una! Please don't be a blabbermouth now!" Boden pleaded with his sister.

"What is she talking about, Hiccup?" demanded Stoick too his son and Hiccup couldn't lie now that things were this bad.

"We know why the dragon raids got worse in the last two years. Dragon Island was overtaken by an evil dragon who sends close to a 1000 dragons out to hunt for it. But they've picked all the lands clean and are forced to come to human lands to feed this monster."

"But that's not the real problem, Dad," Boden cut in quickly. "If this dragon the Red Death as we called isn't stopping both the dragons and human will starve. It not letting anyone else eat and so you see…"

"How do I find the Nest? If I can kill this Red Death and destroy the Nest then everyone will be happy and your lives will be spared and then we can smooth the rest over."

"Daddy no! You don't understand! The Red Death isn't like any dragon you seen or faced before! You can't beat it the way you're thinking! Please listen to us!"

"Valka? Please! Tell me how would I find this Nest? Please? I don't know how else to save our family! I have to do a chief duty to save your lives! Please, I know you know the answer! Tell me!"

"Stoick, this is a suicide mission! I understand you're trying to save our lives and I'm moved by it, yet this isn't the way. Please just let the children's dragons go and we can try talking some sense into Berk for once. Let's use words and not force for a change," she pleaded with him.

"Wait, how better to find a dragon nest then a dragon?" he realized aloud.

"NO! DAD! DADDY! NO! DON'T! YOU CAN'T!"

"This is the only way to save your lives and I must do it. You'll have to stay inside this house under house arrest till I get back. Once the Nest is destroyed and the Red Death is killed, the people will be so happy you'll all be okay. I've to go.

I'll be back and we'll all be safe and happy once more. I promise." and he left and they ran after him only to be met at sword point.

An hour went by and they knew what was going down. "This is crazy! Mom! We can't sit here and let our dragons and Dad go straight to their deaths!" Hiccup yelled in frustration.

"I agree with you son. But they do have the house under complete guard. So we can't bust out of here, I'm afraid."

"And it's not like anyone going come to our rescue! Who'd help the traitors of Berk?" Boden retorted bitterly when all of sudden they heard a lot of commotion outside the house that sounded like fighting and a lot of heads being smashed.

"Well, Mommy and BBBFF sound like someone just came to our rescue," Una remarked as the door was thrown open and Astrid stood there with a mile-wide grin.

"Astrid! How? Even you couldn't have taken out 8 of the strongest men station to guard the house!" stammered Hiccup.

"Oh, she didn't, Hiccup. She had a little help. I expect a thank you for it as well as very cool dragon out of this!" came a familiar voice as they came out on the front porch to see the rest of the dragon training class standing there.

"What's going on?" asked Hiccup confused.

"A rescue mission, duh." Ruffnut laughed.

"You're supposed to be so smart and done like a dozen of these. Isn't that what you said?" Tuffnut asked as if he was trying to count that on his fingers though he didn't even know what a 'dozen' meant.

"I can't begin to tell you I'm most intrigued to read a true book of real facts about dragons. I have always had a soft spot for the Gronckle…" Fishlegs began with Astrid held up a hand.

"Um, guys we don't have time to talk about that. We have to go save the village and Hiccup's father from making a huge mistake. So how about we get to saving the day instead of chitchatting on the Chief's front porch?"

"Right," they all chuckled and Snotlout then looked at Hiccup and asked, "So where do I get my sweet dragon ride? I prefer something with muscle, hot and stunning like myself."

"Do they look like Dragon Rider material to you?" Hiccup looked down amusingly at his brother and sister who both replied, "We don't have time to be picky if we are going to save the village and Dad/Daddy! So let's get to the UDS and hook them up with their dragons!"

"Okay! Mom? Is this okay with you?"

"We don't have any time to waste if we're gonna save your father so let's hightail it!"

"Okay new Dragon Riders let's fly!" and they bolted towards the nearest entrance to the UDS!


	6. The Battle of the Red Death

The Battle of the Red Death

Two vastly different but nevertheless intricately woven events were taking places at the exact same moment. Whilst Stoick and the rest of Berk were sailing to their doom to Dragon Island in what Stoick hoped was a bid to save his family from certain death; back on Berk his family been sprung from their house arrest and were now rushing to save him and Berk from certain death!

"So where did you manage to hide a bunch of dragons anyway? And why does it have to make us so out of breath?" panted Snotlout as they raced to the knoll in the woods quickly.

"You think a secret Sanctuary gonna be so easy to find, Snotlout? We've had to be quite clever with the entrances and exits! And the only thing no-one ever realized the dragons were right beneath their feet!" yelled Hiccup over his shoulder as they reached the knoll as he rapidly pressed the secret code for the rock to slide away.

"Wow! This is quite impressive just how many hidden…wow!" Fishlegs was yanked off his feet by a small and scrawny ten-year-old boy.

"No time for chitchat or unimportant questions! We can talk about how we managed to build a secret underground sanctuary with loads of hidden passageways another time if we actually can save everyone!"

"Yeah! Priorities people! Daddy and the rest of Berk are sailing to their death! How about we stop them from dying and we will tell you the rest when we aren't about to have a bloodbath on our hands?!" snapped the five-year-old as she dashed down the steps so fast she knocked the Twins over as she was screaming something to whoever was down below.

"Get the three other dragons from the arena! Don't ask me how I know, I just know that there these knuckleheads destined dragons! Bring them out pronto! Hurry!" she yelled so loudly she nearly lost her voice.

"Huh?!" cried too young ladies voice who were shocked to see Hiccup and company descended the stairs and yelled "Hiccup what happened?! What's going on? We heard there was trouble upstairs!" the sisters cried.

"No time to go into the whole story! The short version is this. We told Dad the truth, the village wanted our family to die, Dad placed us under house arrest to pacify and now gone to Dragon Island to kill the Red Death in hopes of saving us."

"All which is a suicide mission! And only gonna get him and the whole idiotic village killed!" declared Skullette.

"So let us guess Astrid recruited the Dragon Training Class as rescues and you need them to get a five-second crash course in how to bond and ride a dragon so we can save everyone?" Firefang guessed to which the cute 15-year old nodded.

"Yeah, the basic gist of things, pretty much," he replied with a sardonic grin on his face. Then he got serious and said, "Can you get the dragons my sister said are their destined ones? I'll help them bond? Mom, can you get some rope so we can get going as quickly as possible?"

"Sure thing Hiccup!" everyone replied and then Boden and Una were racing up and down the Sanctuary checking on the other dragons quickly before returning to their brother.

"The other dragons seemed to be alright, bro. We don't know how they'll do if we don't come back, but hopefully, they'll be able to manage without us if we don't come back from this mission. I've tried to relate them the nature of what's going on as fast as I could." Boden informed his brother as he finished helping the other teen's bond with their dragons and their mother was now getting them ready to saddle up.

"What about you, Una? Any visions would be helpful right about now?"

"I can't see how today will end for us or them. All I know is right now if we don't get flying in the next five minutes we won't get there in time to save Daddy and the others. That's what my intuition is telling me. What does your heart tell you?"

"About the same thing. Skullette?"

"Yes, Hiccup?" the blond asked looking up from helping the others with the newly named Hookfang, Barf and Belch and Meatlug.

"We need you and Firefang to come with us. We need all the dragon power we can get. So we need Wind Dancer and Airclaw too! So you're coming too!"

"You want to leave the Sanctuary without anyone at all in it?!" Firefang exclaimed in shock before she and sister looked and nodded with resolve.

"Give us a moment," Skullette said and they went into a private cavern and the pair returned with two female Nadders. Skullette's was green and turquoise and Firefang's was different shades of blue and purple.

"Ready to go. So shall we fly now?"

"Now wait a sec! They already have dragons?! How unfair is that!" demanded Snotlout in a whiny voice as he mounted Hookfang for the first time.

"Snotlout can you not complain before we start flying on a life or death mission? You just spent 15 years trying to kill dragons and now your complaining the two people before Astrid who whom my family could trust to help us care for the dragons got their own dragons before you?" Hiccup said in an exasperated tone.

"Let's not fight like little kids. Let's fly and go now!" snapped Valka and everyone followed her and Cloudjumper through the caverns out the secret concealed entrance in the cliffs on the backside of Berk.

Everyone gave a yell followed by a whoop of exhilaration as they flew so fast, high and free. It was quite an experience that was for sure and one they sure weren't gonna forget any time soon.

"Um, you know you may want to pay attention to some of what we are saying or you're all gonna fall off a flying fire breathing reptile from two thousand feet in the air!" yelled Boden loudly over the wind as he hugged his brother waist tightly.

Everyone looked embarrassed for a second before realizing they really didn't have a clue how to fly these things and had to listen to Hiccup give instruction from where he sat bunch together with Astrid and his siblings.

It wasn't a lot of space, to be honest, and really Boden and Una should be riding with Valka but they'd chosen to remain with Hiccup who was their brother, best friend, and protector.

"So do you actually have a plan, son?" called his mother as she was leading the way while clutching a long staff and balancing perfectly on Cloudjumper.

"Not really, to be honest, Mom. This is sort of a make it up as we go along thing."

"Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III! You're telling me you don't even have the slightest idea of a plan to save everyone?!" his mother looked at him somewhat in a scolding manner.

"Mom, don't worry! We always come through in the end, haven't we when we've been on a rescue mission before. I mean we never have had plans before when we start doing our secret lives as Dragon Trainers and we've had to just learn through trial and error," Boden reminded his mother.

"Boden Barricade Haddock this is a little more serious and dangerous then just wondering if you're gonna be able to talk down some scared and trapped dragons in the woods!

We are flying to save your father, the village and pretty much the world at this point! And before you say anything Miss Una Sjofn Haddock I want you all to know we could all die trying to save everyone from dying!

So please while we make this insane flight against all reason to save your father and the world please start trying to formulate a plan using those genius minds of yours and I'll keep the rest of the flock busy by giving them some basic instructions in how to fly!" she ordered her children as she got Cloudjumper to fly closer to the rest of the teens and quickly was giving them a crash course on what to do with their dragons and their abilities that be useful.

"Wow, your mom means business! Well, you three heard her. I'll fly Stormfly you three start thinking and think fast. By the way, I never even knew your middle names! They're nice and kind of cute," she chuckled which made them blush as they put on their thinking caps as Astrid flew Stormfly as they hurried praying it not be too late.

While all this was happening Stoick's fleet being directed using Toothless, Stardust and Nightrainbow as compasses were getting closer and closer to Dragon Island. The other Viking was all excited, talking about how they're so close to finally ending this and how they do it.

Stoick on the other hand on the lead ship was trying to act the part he was assigned. The Chief the leader who rid his people finally of these evil monsters and finish off the threat once and for all.

However, as he looked into the eyes of the three chained down creatures who'd saved himself and his family when all these people on these boats only a couple hours ago tried to murder them he felt something different.

He looked into their eyes, green, silvery blue and royal purple and he didn't see any longer a heartless dumb beast. He saw someone with a pure heart and the same beautiful souls as his children looking back at him.

He felt things stirring inside of him along with all those memories Hiccup had somehow implanted in his mind. And he also had seen that night he hated so much from Valka's eyes and know he finally understood why she felt the way she did about that night.

He also saw looking into those dragon eyes they're pleading with him. They were asking him to save them. They loved his children, their best friends the ones who were the other half of their hearts and souls. They're a part of his family.

And yet he was only doing this to save his family. But could he really justify this now? Killing a part of his family to save them? The world had turned upside-down really quickly and nothing made sense anymore. Not what they thought they knew or what they felt.

Suddenly Gobber touched his shoulder and snapped him out being lost in a sea of thoughts. "Stoick? The men want to know what we are going to do once we get to the Island. By all indication these devils are saying we are getting close."

"Um what?" he asked confused and Gobber for a few minutes looked compassionate.

"Stoick, I know you want to save your family and that's why we are doing this. But you can't let your heart cloud your head right now. If you do want to save Valka and the kids from being executed you're gonna have to give us a victory. That's the only way they'll be pardon for high treason."

"I know Gobber, though I can't stop thinking and seeing them lying in pools of blood. It's too horrible to imagine."

"Well considering what they're doing can you blame the whole island for wanting to be a lynch mob?"

"It shouldn't matter! It's my wife and children and no matter what they've chosen to do I shouldn't be asked to murder my own family! How would you feel if you're in my shoes right now? How would anyone in the village feel if they stop to think for a single moment how would they feel?"

"That is a good question, I guess but the laws are clear. We have laws for a reason and they should be followed."

"Tell me if you'd be singing that tune still Gobber if it was your family you're being asked to murder for treason!" growling like a vicious beast that the one leg lout backed up some as his chief really told him what was what.

"It's easy to think and do something from an outside perspective, Gobber. On the other hand, once you're the one actually in the situation? You wouldn't feel the same at all!" he snapped wrathfully as he walked away to roar at the people what they wanted to hear from him about how they take the Island that was coming into view.

It seemed in life you got plenty of warning signs when something was a very bad idea or when you shouldn't be doing something. And Stoick's fleet had seen and heard all of them and firmly ignoring them.

The very first warning sign this was a bad idea had been back on Berk itself when the truth had come out and they hadn't given the children a chance to explain what was really going on.

The next warning sign was the looking of pleading and fear in dragon siblings' eyes as they gazed into their riders' father's eyes as if to warn him of what was to come.

As for the third, fourth and fifth signs? The waters they're sailing through, the destroyed Viking ship and finally when they reached Dragon Island itself and everything fell absolutely silent.

All those things should've been enough of a heads up and given everyone a clue to go back and get the hell away from this place and leave now! But Vikings were stubborn, foolish muttonheads, in addition, their blood was blistering hot with a lethal rage as well as unbridled ferocity and nothing short of this evil deed being done would calm these insane people down.

Stoick order people to set up for what they'd been waiting for their whole lives to do as he tried to prepare himself to do what he'd been expected to do since he was a boy.

However even as he was saying the words "When we crack this mountain open all hell will break loose," it was as if someone else was speaking. It was like an out-of-body experience.

He felt as if someone else was controlling his words and actions at this time. That all that was in charge of his body was simply the Chief. The man who was Stoick Haddock wasn't there any longer; only the Chief of Berk was. The person who was a devoted husband and loving father weren't in charge anymore. Just someone who gave orders and did his DUTY WAS.

So when he gave the signal for the catapults to fire to crack the mountain open it wasn't just the side of the mountain the split in two. It was his heart that cracked just in the exact same way as that mountain did.

A flaming fireball was sent flying in and he rushed in only for a thousand emaciated dragons to flee out of the opening not even stopping to fight the Vikings at all. They didn't even seem to notice the Vikings. They just were getting the hell out of there as fast as their wings would take them.

Gobber just looked around and said "Is that it? Hmm. Well looks like we won!" and everyone was cheering and only Stoick who'd been forewarned by his children that there was something more here knew this wasn't over.

"This isn't over! Form your ranks!" he called out but no one was listening to him at all, just happy the dragons were gone and then came the sound of death. Everyone became deathly pale and ran for it when it seemed the whole world came undone around them.

"Beard of Thor! What is that?!" cried out Gobber as everyone laid eyes on the true source of their shared problems with the dragons and know Stoick really understood what his children had been trying to tell him. It was unlike anything he'd ever seen and he instantly realized no way would brute force and what little they had would take this dragon down.

"Odin helps us all," he whispered and then saw people were panicking and trying to get to the boats only for the Red Death to set them alight with the center boat still having Toothless, Stardust and Nightrainbow trapped on it!

"Smart dragon! Now we're trapped and doomed!" Gobber cried and Stoick was trying to think what to do.

"We need to get the others to safety. If you and I distract the Red Death it might give the others a chance to get to safety. That's all we can do right now!"

"That's insane and crazy, Stoick, I love it! Let's do it!" and the two friends ran to try and get the evil queen's attention by throwing some sticks at her.

Boy was she mad and her forever hunger looking down at them. Gobber and Stoick were about 50 feet away from each other trying to keep her busy while people were fleeing to the other side. However, the Red Death soon lost interest in Stoick and Gobber and was going to go after the rest of the villagers.

Stoick then did something brave and stupid. He dashed quickly forward plunging his blade into the dragon's flesh drawing a little bit of blood. Wasn't more than a small scratch on this monster, but it was enough to turn her attention back to him.

Bellowing she kicked him a good ways away narrowing all her eyes at him ready to kill him for drawing that blood by making him pay for it with his blood. Stoick readies himself for a Valkyrie to take him to Valhalla and his last thoughts were on his family, and his failed promise to them.

But then an explosion happened from above the Red Death's head and Stoick felt himself being scooped up and in the air very quickly. It took him a couple of moments reorient himself with the world around.

When he did he was in for a world of shocks. He quickly realized he was on the back of the very same dragon who'd abducted Valka 15 years ago and she was the one riding him!

"VALKA?!"

"Hang on tight, sweetheart! Cloudjumper a good dragon and strong flyer. But you still need to keep your weight center if you don't want to fall off!" she told him quickly as he looked at her shocked.

"Cloudjumper? Valka is this your dragon?!"

"Yeah, he's mine and if we live I'll explain what really happened that night 15 years ago. But for now, let's focus on the battle!" as she yanked him close for a quick kiss and then stood tall holding her staff.

"What that staff for?" he wanted to know.

"Dragons respond to different sounds, you can thank your daughter and her dragon for us learning that one." She swung her staff hard and two Nadders came swooping in and it was two people Stoick knew from the village who were close family friends who seemed more involved then he knew.

Skullette and Firefang Anquetil were on the back of two beautiful Nadders with Gobber clutching on tightly to Skullette who looked a bit unhappy about it. "What do you want us to do, Chief?" Skullette asked him bravely.

"You're asking me? Don't you all have a plan?!"

"Well, Hiccup's plan was for the other kids from the Dragon Training Class to try and keep that dragon he calls the Red Death distracted with the few things they learned class that are actually helpful," Firefang pointed back over to where Fishlegs and Snotlout where trying to make noise while the Twins were trying to determine a shot limit.

"Where are the kids?" demanded Valka and Stoick at the same time.

"Well, they're all riding with Astrid so we're pretty sure they went to rescue their dragons. But what do want us to do?"

"You two take Gobber and go defend the villagers in case that Red Death starts attacking them with your dragons. They'll need some protection. We're going after our kids!" Stoick orders them.

"On it! C'mon, Wind Dancer! Airclaw! Let's fly! Gobber hang on! And if you have to throw up do it over the side!" the sisters ordered him as they soared rapidly to go safeguard their people.

Once they took off Valka didn't even need to say more to Cloudjumper he just head to the ships where they'd find their kids praying it wasn't too late.

It was true, Astrid had even though very reluctantly dropped Hiccup, Boden and Una down on the burning ships and despite not wanting to obey their orders to go help with the Red Death whilst they tried to free their dragons.

"C' mon, Boden this should be no problem for you!" Hiccup was saying between coughing as he was doing his best to get the major parts of what was keeping their dragons chained up off.

"I'm trying, Hiccup," Boden said between coughing, "But I've never had to work under fire!"

"Una how you doing on your part?" coughed Hiccup who heard her coughing a lot too.

"I've got some of the minor chains off. We," coughing harder, "got to hurry. There a lot of danger here. So step it up! We each got to our parts faster if we wish to free them!" coughing more and went back to work

Hiccup knew they're risking their lives between the fires, smoke inhalation and the deep water beneath them as they're quickly working as a team to try to get their dragons free. Yet they'd not let their best friends die like this without trying to save them.

All of sudden Una screamed loudly which made them all look up in time see the tail of the Red Death smash the boats. Hiccup just barely managed to cover his brother and sister even though the boat sank with them and the dragons on it.

As their father said Una wasn't a strong swimmer yet only just beginning to learn and certainly wasn't ready for water this deep. Still with her brothers holding her hands and more worried about Nightrainbow she didn't think about the water.

They tried to get to the bottom to try getting the last part of what was imprisoning their dragons, locked collars unlocked but they're already out of air. Slipping out of consciences they didn't feel as a strong hand grabbed all three of their collars at once and swam them quickly back to the surface.

Lack of oxygen from both the smoke and nearly drowning disoriented the three young children for a few minutes. So they didn't realize at first their father had saved them from drowning or their mother was making sure they are okay. Or realize their father had dove back down in the water.

They're mumbling incoherently "Mom/Mommy? Dad/Daddy?" but they weren't properly coherent till bursting from the water carrying their father to the surface together was Toothless, Stardust and Nightrainbow.

"Dad! Daddy! What's going on?! Toothless! Stardust! Nightrainbow! You're all okay!" and they rushed to hug their father first then made sure their dragons were alright.

Then turned to their father in wonder and realized the truth. Their father had saved both their lives and their dragons lives! Their dragons all smiled their special smiles be speaking what no-one needed Boden to translated to say "Thank you."

Then they turned back to their Riders and spoke what they knew was "Are you ready to do this?"

"Yes! Let's do it!" they cried as they ran over to quickly mount their dragons when their father's voice stopped them for a second.

"Kids hold on a second!"

Pausing a second from swinging their legs over the side they turned to face their father and he looked different to them. Like they're the ones seeing him for the first time. It was strange a large chaotic battle for the fate of the world was going on and yet this was still a family matter at the core of it all.

"I'm sorry for my actions before and please know I was telling the truth. I've always been proud to call you my children. It's the rest of the Berk and the Nine Realms who should be envying me for having children as special and wonderful as the three of you.

When we finally get home and go to Lover's Cove for our long overdue Family Day, you'll finally be able to tell me the whole story about how this all took place plus fully explain how you discovered your special gifts. I know I'll be bursting with more pride then even Odin could possibly possess for all his glory in Asgard because I'm truly the luckiest man in all the Nine Realms!

To have the love of your mother and the three of you as my children. And whoever says differently is an idiot and fool, not to see how lucky and blessed I am. I love all of you for you! And that will never change!"

For the rest of the family, it was finally the confirmation they'd been waiting years to hear. That Stoick was being truthful that he didn't care they loved and trained dragons or that his kids had freaky powers. He indeed loved and accepted them for them and he was also proud of them all along.

There was really only one thing to say in return. "Thank you Dad/Daddy. We love you too. We can't wait to tell you the whole story, but it's got to wait. We have got a job to do first."

"You don't have to do this," he told them as they looked at the daunting and malevolent dragon their friends were still battling. The children just turned to the father again with a grin on their face and told him. "We're Vikings, it's an occupational hazard."

"You must do this. It's part of your destiny. Just don't die," their mother conceded as she stepped back and their father was the last to let go of their hands.

"Yes, promise us both your coming back alive."

"It's a Haddock Promise! Now let's fly! Toothless! Stardust! Nightrainbow! Let's take down the Red Death!" and they shot off so fast they're a blur with the anxious couple only able to send a quick prayer to Odin and Frigga to protect their children.

After that, all they could do was gather the rest of the Riders and form a circle of protection far away from the main battle as their children engaged the deadly dragon. It was about time Berk saw who their children really were.

Coming in from fast from three different directions they all had their dragons strike at the same time with perfect hits from their attacks knocking the Red Death off its feet.

They started doing some more flying patterns which as they evil dragon which despite being the size of a mountain could fly. But with three targets to choose from it wasn't sure which way to go.

Also, they're playing it smart how to not only confuse it more but disable its senses one by one while wearing it out. Hiccup and Toothless played chase for a while leading it through a large set sea stakes causing it to smash into them, then they disappeared.

Once they're out of sight out of nowhere flying around the dragon in a beautiful figure eight fashion shimmering so brightly was Boden on Stardust blinding the six-eyed beast who may rely more on hearing and smell but blinding it should help too.

Once it was blinded then came time to deafen as they lured into a position where sound be echoed loudly as Una and Nightrainbow were both singing loudly and Una was having Nightrainbow sing so fast while rapidly changing both his songs and the pitch till they're sure they'd both blinded and deafen the Red Death.

However, still smell them and sense their dragon's minds and now it was time for step 2 in their plan, and they hurried to the dark thick clouds with the huge beast following them by smell.

Though with its sight and hearing temporary went and the wind carrying their scent everywhere it was a very big disadvantage. So they came in hard and fast. One by one they go in to shot holes in its wing and disappear and before it had a chance to recover another would come and shoot another in the wing.

All this from below looked intense as the clouds lit up brilliant from the fireballs and lighting but then it got scary when a firestorm was unleashed by the Red Death as they realized it was starting to be able to see and hear again.

It was time to do part three and it was the do or die moment. So they all got together and start flying downward with the Red Death following them for the kill.

"Wait for it," Hiccup said as they only get one shot to end this threat for good. It needs to be timed perfectly. They're all scared but Boden and Una trusted their big brother.

Boden was hearing angry and vengeful thoughts from the Red Death and Una's danger sense was screaming too but they held till finally, Hiccup yelled 'NOW!" and they did a perfect flip and shot right into the Red Death open mouth with a plasma blast, lightning, and rainbow fireball and ignited her gas chambers and she was exploded from the inside and she then saw the ground was approaching fast.

She opened her wings but they're tearing like bad lace only then realize she's going to, but in her mind, if she was going to die she was taking these six with her. She hit the ground fast and it caused an explosion with the same power of a bomb.

The whole island shook and the inferno that went skyward was chasing the siblings as they're trying to outfly it to get to safety, but even with speed of the Dragons of Legend the exploding body of the Red Death was going up in flames just too fast and then her massive tail hit them all unexpectedly all three small lightweight humans.

They were knocked off easily completely unconscious down towards the hellfire below, with their dragons hurry to catch them but then everyone became lost in the fiery inferno below.

When it all had turned to ash below and everything had settled only two voices could be heard screaming. "Hiccup! Boden! Una! Can you hear us?! Where are you?! Kids! Where are you?! Kids! Sweethearts!" as Stoick and Valka were racing around like chickens with their heads cut off in every direction looking everywhere for some sign of their children then caught a glimpse of something that made their blood run cold.

They saw a small pile of dragons on top of each other with smoke coming off them. "No! Hiccup? Boden? Una? NO! NO! NO!" as they raced over to unconscious bodies of their children's dragons.

From first glance not seeing their children and looked at the bloody bruises and burns on their dragons the only logical conclusion was their children were dead. And so naturally the fell into each other arms crying and grieving.

"This is all my fault, if I hadn't come here they'd never been here to die!" Stoick was blaming himself and Valka was crying, "If I hadn't gotten them involved with saving dragons this wouldn't have happened either!"

"We should've been more honest with each other! We should've said I loved you more to them! I should've known them before this terrible day!"

"I should've been a better mother too! And I should've been a better wife to you so I could've been a better mother!"

"Our precious treasures! Our little Hiccup, Boden and Una! No! Gone forever! Never to see our dreams come true for anyone them! We are so sorry! NO!" they're crying and sobbing as the whole village looked most aggrieved for their actions for causing this tragedy and Astrid was on her knees sobbing, for now, she'd never been able to tell Hiccup how she really felt.

About this time Toothless, Stardust and Nightrainbow woke up from being knocked out from the impact they took when they crashed into the ground. They saw everyone was so sad and could hear what they're sad about.

They made a low moan to get Stoick and Valka's attention and they looked up from their grieving and gasped and almost stopped breathing as the dragons revealed the children were safely concealed within them.

"Hiccup! Boden! Una!" cried Valka through her tears as she and Stoick rushed forward as the rest of the village held their breath as Stoick and Valka listened to their children's chest and took their pulse to double check and then turned to the rest of the tribe and yelled loudly with tearful smiles.

"THEY ARE ALIVE!"

And everyone broke into smiles, laughter, cheers and some even started dancing and no one was happier then Astrid who was crying tears of joy as she felt her heart burst with happiness!

Stoick on the hand was also crying tears of joy and thankfulness as he said in a broken voice, "Thank you all for saving my children. Thank you," to which all three dragons just smiled.

It was such a perfect joyous moment then Gobber came hobbling over to Stoick and Valka who were still clutching their children to their hearts and asked, "This is all very nice but Stoick how are we going to get home?"

And Valka whom at the moment had her daughter clutch close to her heart looked so shocked at the inappropriate question just wanted to kill him for ruining the moment.


	7. Epilogue

Epilogue

A small fire crackled beautifully in the nearby fire bit illuminating the three slumbering faces in the giant bed nearby, while also highlighting the shiny new scales of the three contently sleeping dragons curled around the bed protectively.

Arranged oldest to youngest were Hiccup, Boden and Una all seemingly asleep under the thickest and warmest blanket found on Berk. One of their father's spare capes been thrown over the blanket for extra warmth and love apparently too.

Toothless was on the left side where Hiccup was slumbering peacefully where his long-tailed then curled around his sister's front right claw. Her long silver serpentine body curled all away around the bed till it reaches the front where her tailed coiled around Nightrainbow's right front claw and then his body went the rest of the way till his tail was being held safely by his big brother.

It was a very sweet and tender sight to see. Though it didn't remove the slight anxiety that still was clinging to the air waiting for the children to wake up. For they truly weren't sleeping but rather unconscious. Their dragons hadn't left their side since they'd gotten back to Berk and been placed in their parents' bed to recuperate.

All of sudden the sleeping dragons stirred as their sensitive ears heard a slight sound that told them what they'd all been waiting for had come at last. Slowly getting up with very big eager eye looking into the slowly opening eyes of Hiccup, Boden, and Una.

"Oh, what happened? Boden? Una? Are you okay?" was the first words out of Hiccup's mouth. Again never caring about himself only if they're okay.

"Oh, bro my head feels like I got hit Thor's Hammer. My head feels like its splitting in two."

"I smell something that doesn't smell good. Like worse than when Mommy burns the toast for breakfast."

"Do either of you remember what happened? My memory a bit foggy? The last bit I remember is trying to outfly the fire but some other parts seem fuzzy."

"It's a bit fuzzy for me too, Hiccup."

"Like what did Mommy and Daddy say to us before we went to take down that dragon? I can't remember it clearly?"

"It's a little jumbled…I can't recall it perfectly…Toothless! What are you doing here, buddy?"

"Stardust! Hey, my beautiful girl! Nice to see you're okay!"

"Nightrainbow! Sing to me! I love to hear your voice right now!"

All of sudden the dragons began to smother them with love, affection, and attention the point they accidently step on their stomachs causing them to sit up and groan and realize their back home and in their parents' bed.

"What are we doing in our HOUSE?!" yelped Hiccup in a panic swiveling his head like mad.

"Worse yet what are our dragons doing in our house?!" cried Boden in a blind panic amazed at that point all of them could even fit inside with some room to spare.

"Um BBBFF? Why are we in Mommy and Daddy's bed? And again what is that funny smell? You don't think we um got burned or lost something during the time we were um asleep?" whispered Una in a frightful tone as they all could smell the unmistakable smell of burnt hair.

Then they remembered instantly falling off their dragons and quickly Hiccup yanked the blanket off truly expected them all too at least have lost some body parts of some type. No way would they get so lucky to fall from 1000 feet into the air into a fiery inferno and not lose something!

Though to their shock, surprise and relief everything limb was intact from the feet upward no-one had lost anything, not even a single toe was missing. The burnt smell was coming from the fact their clothes and hair gotten a little singed but by the graces of the Gods and Valkyries themselves, a miracle had happened.

They'd faced certain death and come out not only apparently alive but not having lost any limbs in the process either!

"Thank Odin!" Hiccup was breathing hard as he was looking gratefully at his brother and sister who was very thankful hadn't been hurt. He could've lived with himself being hurt but not them. Though he was honestly thankful he'd come out safely too.

All of sudden they heard someone drop something and looked up saw their mother had walked in. She had been carrying a copper tray full of some kind of broth and dropped it when she saw they're up.

She was shrieking with joy and their father burst inside from being outside and again the three of them being smothered to death with hugs, kiss, and overall affection.

"Mom! Dad! Mommy! Daddy! Cut it out!" they're crying when they felt they're suffocating from it all.

"Sorry, but you all have to understand. You all being alive is but one of the miracles that have happened in recent times! You all nearly died and we've been thanking Odin and Frigga all week you didn't perish!" their mother explained as she wiped silver tears from her beautiful blue eyes.

"You did really give us almost a reason to have a funeral, kids. Now we've been celebrating life and well time for you to see your surprise!" Stoick told them with a sly smile on his face.

"Surprise?" Hiccup inquired with a raised eyebrow as he helped his brother and sister out of the bed.

"Dad, what's going on? What does Mom mean a lot of miracles going on?" Boden asked in a stumped voice.

"Yeah we nearly died and you want to surprise us and why are our dragons even in the house? What's going on, Daddy?" Una demanded as she stomped her foot to which her daddy only gave her a little girl.

"If you step outside you'll see for yourself what's going on," as he took his little girl's hand in his left and his youngest son's in right. Valka had Hiccup lean on her as they led them outside telling them to close their eyes tightly.

Once they're outside they told them to open them and their jaws dropped to the ground. It was Berk alright but not like how they left it. It was like their heart's desire had come to life!

Dragons were flying freely in the sky as both Vikings and Dragons were friends and living in harmony. It also looked like the dragons had gotten some good meals into them.

It was literally their idea of a paradise what they'd wanted all their lives. Human and Dragons living side-by-side as friends. Two worlds one family in perfect harmony. Where they realize they're truly like water and rain. And now people realize that you're you and I'm me and together everyone could live in harmony!

Well for about ten seconds Hiccup, Boden and Una didn't say or do anything as they gazed at the perfect world around them. Then Hiccup opened his mouth and said, "I knew it we all died!"

"Yeah, brother that must have been what happened! We all perished when the Red Death died and went to Valhalla and this must be Valhalla!"

"Well at least we know now Valhalla isn't just an endless battlefield. That it can be a true paradise and Odin is kind enough to let dragons come here as well for their rest! But yeah we must be dead! No other explanation for this then we kicked the bucket!" Una exclaimed when they turned around to see their parents about to bust a gut.

"No, you three ain't dead, though you gave it your best shot. So what do you think?" their father asked kindly as they gazed back over their home that finally felt like home.

"It feels like really coming home, Dad." Hiccup started as Boden tried to word what they're all feeling, "We can finally be us. No more lies and secrets. Just us." Una just turned to her daddy and finished it. "It feels good to be truly home. To truly have it all. Home, love, and family. To have all our dreams become a reality. What more could we possibly ask for?"

"Well, there is a lot more to do, kids. Berk still as a long way to go in reforming itself, which we sure you'll do a great job in helping on. But in the week you three were sleeping we've made a good start, don't you think?" their mother asked with a twinkle to her eyes.

"A WEEK?! We were unconscious or a week?!"

"Yeah, a week. But we got the dragons moved out of the Sanctuary and many people have done a great job of bonding. We have the true Book of Dragons up in the Great Hall now and Gobber already been set to work to make proper saddles, under supervision of course." Stoick replied, "We have a lot more work to do which we'll do together as a family but for now this is the start of something new for all of us and all of Berk."

"We'll be glad to help in any way we can, Dad! That's a Haddock Promise!" promised Hiccup and Boden and Una nodded zealously.

Just then the villagers noticed they're awake and start swarming them with a zillion questions about dragons, their powers and wanting to hear all their ideas that Stoick and Valka had to fight them off a bit to give their children breathing room.

"Wow, so we go from traitors and to be killed on the spot to heroes and celebrities in a week time? Hmm, this truly is a strange world!" Hiccup joked to which Boden and Una chuckled.

Then the sound of swiftly running feet was heard and someone had jumped into Hiccup's arms to kiss him passionately on the lips stunning both all of Berk as well Hiccup himself who was blushing so intensely red you think he was on fire.

When Astrid finally pulled out of the kiss she then slapped him once which confused everyone as Hiccup rubbed his sore jaw as she gazed her sky blue eyes intensely into his emerald green eyes and told him straight up, "Don't ever scare me like that AGAIN! I never want to come that close to losing the love of my life ever again! Promise me!"

"I promise, Astrid, I won't try to die a second time if you promise to never scare me like that or die on me! I don't want to lose the love of my life!"

"Deal!" and they became enveloped in another deep very romantic passionate kiss to which Boden and Una rolled their eyes giggling "It's about time!"

By the time the two new lovers had to breath was about the time Snotlout was yelling at them that he, the Twins and Fishlegs were more than ready for proper riding lessons.

"Duty calls! Let's go show the muttons heads how it's done! I'll meet you down there!" Astrid told him as the race to get to Stormfly but Hiccup hung back a moment with his family.

"Well, Hiccup you do seem to have gotten yourself a fine woman. Congratulations," his father praised him to which Hiccup was still blushing. "Dad!"

"Stoick! No need for that right now! Let him enjoy his first romantic moments before you go embarrassing as a normal father would!"

"Sorry, Valka."

"Ugh! Great! I don't even get to have a girlfriend for five seconds and my parents are already embarrassing me! Just great!"

"Well, it's not we didn't already know for years Hiccup you had the hots for Astrid!" Boden teased him to which he dashed quickly away as Una dug the knife in further by adding. "It's also obvious she's been crushing on you for so long not that she wants to admit it!"

"Ugh! Do we have to talk about this now?" groaned Hiccup slightly miserably.

"No, all this can wait till tomorrow when all of us and our dragons go to Lover's Cove for our Family Day and finally get caught up and honest with each other, son," Stoick informed the kids who all broke out with mile-wide grins.

"Yes! Finally! And we can take our dragons there?!"

"Well flying there will be so much fun and get us there quicker than walking won't it?" Valka said in a sly tone.

"Yeah, it will! Great! Well, we got to go show the muttonheads how to be Dragon Riders and we'll talk more about tomorrow over dinner! Love you Mom/Mommy! Love you Dad/Daddy!" as they hugged them tightly and kissed their foreheads.

So whilst the kids and their dragons went to do their things Stoick and Valka went into the house to do what they'd not been able to do in two long years.

"You all ready?" asked Hiccup as got Toothless in position to show the others what do with Boden on the left of him and Una on the right. Along with Astrid right next to him.

"We're more than ready, Hiccup for you to show us what do!" snapped Snotlout.

"Yeah let get this show on the road!" Ruff grumbled.

"I want to blow things up already!" Tuff said in a longing voice.

"I want to bond some more my new and very lovely girl Meatlug.

"Hey! Why don't you all be quiet and remember this first and foremost?" Boden snapped at all of them.

"What that you shrimp?" asked Snotlout rudely.

"One there will be no more rudeness, Snotlout," Una informed him as she turned to her big brother who said what they knew was the most important thing.

"And for all your guys' information, dragon training and riding is a family affair! So if you're gonna learn to be Dragon Riders and Dragon Trainers? You got to listen to me and my brother and sister, got it?"

The other kids were clearly shocked for a few seconds learning they'd have to listen to a ten and five years old if they'd wanted to be part of this new world but finally nodded and said. "Okay, you three are the bosses. Let's do this!"

"Okay! Ready Boden?"

"Ready Hiccup!"

"Ready Una?"

"Ready, BBBFF!"

"Then it's time to show these guys, all of Berk and the world how a family trains their dragons! Let's go!" and with that, they all ascended into the sky ready for whatever adventures were come next for them. But they're sure to be full of fun, excitement, danger, love, friendship, and happiness!

The End.


End file.
